Chicken With Basil And Tomatoes

• 1 3- to 4-pound chicken, cut up
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons safflower or vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, scraped and sliced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup white-wine vinegar
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup creme fraiche
• 1 cup basil leaves, snipped

1. Wipe the chicken pieces dry with paper towels, sprinkle with salt and pepper and brown the pieces a few at a time in the safflower oil in a large skillet.
2. Set the pieces aside and pour off the fat from the skillet.
3. Heat the olive oil in the skillet and gently soften the onion with the garlic and carrots over medium heat.
4. Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes, vinegar, wine and thyme leaves.
5. Add the chicken pieces, cover and simmer over medium heat for 30 to 40 minutes, or until they are cooked.
6. Stir occasionally, turning the pieces over in the sauce.
7. Remove the chicken to a serving dish and keep it warm in a low oven.
8. Bring the sauce to a boil, and cook for about 10 minutes to reduce by about one-third.
9. Stir in the creme fraiche and bring to a boil.
10. Cook for five minutes.
11. Correct seasoning and pour the sauce over the chicken pieces.
12. Sprinkle with basil and serve at once.

salt, safflower, olive oil, onion, garlic, carrots, tomato paste, tomatoes, whitewine vinegar, white wine, thyme, creme fraiche, basil

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/5045 (may not work)