Poulet bourride

I had forgotten about Bourride, that simple Provencal stew of most anything, crowned with rouille, until I walked into French Roast just before midnight, on our last trip to New York for the New Yorker Festival. French Roast is a neighborhood restaurant/coffee shop on West 11th and 6th Avenue, by the hotel where we always stay, The Larchmont. And it stays open 24/7. We had been going so hard we hadn't had dinner, and the seafood bourride was the daily special on Fridays, and it was superb. Tons of shellfish swimming in an autumn gold sauce.

This is a really fast adaptation of Julia's recipe for chicken bourride (MAFC II 263). But much, much lighter, because I use light aioli, which has become my all purpose sauce in the summer. I use chicken breasts instead of Julia's poached chicken, but you could make this even faster by buying a roasted chicken on the way home from work.

• 1 cup white wine and/or chicken stock
• (optional: 1 tablespoon Pernod, Ricard, or other licorice-flavored liqueur)
• 1 and 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons fresh herbs or 2 teaspoons herbs de Provence.
• (optional: Cajun seasoning or pepper flakes)
• 1 bunch scallions sliced very thinly, whites and some green.
• (optional: a zuchinni cut into 1/2 inch chunks, or asparagus or thin green beans cut in 2" pieces.)
• 1 can (14 ounce) fire roasted tomatoes with garlic, drained, reserving the liquid
• 1/2 cup aoili sauce

1. In a fait-tout, heat wine (and/or stock) over high heat, covered.
   
2. Cut half breast lengthwise into three or four long strips--lamelles. Season with salt, pepper, herbs de province, and Cajun seasoning (optional). Place them in the pan, cover again.
   
3. Stir in a diced tomato (fresh, with skin on, or canned), very thinly sliced scallions (white and some green), and adjust the heat to keep simmering. The chicken lamelles should be pinkish inside at the thickest part (poke and peek).
   
4. Spoon into bowls or deep plates, spoon some aeoli onto each and and garnish with herbs.