The chicken thighs are first seared until the skin is crispy then they’re gently simmered in a delicious tomato and olive sauce.
Italian Braised Chicken with Tomatoes and Olives
The chicken becomes super flavorful and tender. This is a healthy dinner recipe you don’t want to miss. This recipe now sits firmly in the category of my Favorite Chicken Recipes. It’s a one pan chicken dinner with super tender meat that’s infused with all the tomato and olive flavor goodness. The salty crispy chicken skin is the best part. It finishes cooking itself in the oven so you can pour yourself a glass of wine, tidy the kitchen, and relax before dinner.
Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 8 chicken thighs, skin on or off, your choice
- Salt and pepper, for seasoning the chicken
- 1 medium onion, finely minced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup coarsely chopped olives
- 2 tbsp each: capers and balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp each: chopped rosemary and oregano
- A pinch of red pepper flakes
- Optional: 1 tsp honey, omit for Whole30
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
- Set your oven to 400 degrees.
- Heat the oil in a large, ovenproof pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs to the pan, skin side up. Season the chicken skin with a pinch of salt and a little pepper on each piece. Once some of the fat has been released into the pan, flip the chicken over and cook until the skin is brown and crispy, about 7-8 minutes. If using skinless thighs, cook them until the meat starts to brown. Remove the chicken from the pan. (While the chicken is cooking, prep the rest of the ingredients.)
- Pour out all but a few teaspoons of the oil. Add the onion to the pan and let it cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the tomato paste to the pan and let it cook until it has darkened slightly and is fragrant smelling, about 3 minutes.
- Add all the remaining ingredients to the pan and stir well. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper. Nestle the chicken back into the pan, skin side up. Pop the chicken into the oven and let it cook for 40 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and serve it right away.
- Pair with steamed basmati rice or cauliflower rice.
