Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs (bone-in and skin-on), or mix of chicken thighs and drumsticks (1,2-1,5 kg)
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon ghee (or butter)
- 2 red bell peppers (or sweet pointed peppers), thinly sliced
- 2 small yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 200 ml dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1–2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1 × 400 g can crushed tomatoes
- 150 g cherry tomatoes
- 60 g Kalamata olives (pitted)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towel. Season with smoked paprika and salt; coating each piece evenly.
- Brown the chicken: Heat the olive oil and ghee in a large (30–35 cm) ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add half of the chicken, skin-side down, and cook for about 5 minutes, until the skin is golden and crisp. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken, pouring off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan once done.
- Preheat the oven at 400°F / 200°C (180°C fan-assisted).
- Sauté the vegetables: Add the onions and red peppers to the same pan and cook over medium heat until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook briefly, just until fragrant (30 seconds).
- Deglaze and build flavour: Pour in the white wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the thyme, bay leaves, chilli flakes, and olives. Ssimmer for 2 minutes until wine reduces by half, then stir in the crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake the chicken: Return the chicken to the pan, skin-side up, along with any juices that have collected on the plate. Nestle the chicken pieces in the sauce and scatter the cherry tomatoes over the top.Cover the pan with a lid (or tightly with foil) and transfer to the oven. Bake for 40 minutes, then uncover and bake for a further 5 minutes, until the skin is crisp.
- Finish and serve: Remove from the oven, sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley, and serve hot with steamed rice, pasta, or roasted potatoes to soak up the sauce. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
- Add potatoes: Toss parboiled new potatoes into the pan before braising, they’ll soak up the sauce and become become perfectly tender and flavourful.
- To store: Let the chicken cool, then transfer to an airtight container. It will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge.