This easy and delicious chicken puttanesca is made with crispy-skinned chicken thighs oven roasted in a simmering skillet of puttanesca sauce. It only takes 15 minutes of active time and makes a complete meal when served with crusty bread.
Ingredients
¾ teaspooncoarse kosher salt
6largebone-in chicken thighs, about 3 pounds
1tablespoonextra-virgin olive oil
3clovesgarlic, finely chopped
5filletsanchovies, finely chopped
¼ teaspooncrushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
28ouncecan diced tomatoes
2tablespoonstomato paste
2teaspoonssugar, optional
1 teaspoondried oregano
½ cuppitted Italian olives, roughly chopped
2tablespoonsdrained jarred capers
1tablespoonchopped fresh basil, parsley, or oregano, to serve
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Sprinkle salt all over the chicken.
¾ teaspoon coarse kosher salt, 6 large bone-in chicken thighs
Heat the oil in a large, oven-proof skillet, preferably cast iron, over high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the chicken skin-side down and cook until the skin is browned, 5 to 6 minutes. With a thin spatula, flip the chicken over and cook on the other side until browned, about 5 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a plate; it will continue cooking in a later step.
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
If the skillet is smoking, remove it from the heat until it stops smoking. Reduce heat to medium, and add in the garlic, anchovy, and red pepper flake, stirring constantly. Cook until the garlic starts to brown, about 30 seconds.
Add the tomatoes (use caution as they may splatter), tomato paste, sugar, dried oregano, olives, and capers and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
28 ounce can diced tomatoes, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ cup pitted Italian olives, 2 tablespoons drained jarred capers
Nestle the chicken into the sauce in the skillet, skin side up. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook until the chicken is very tender and the skin is crispy and browned. An instant thermometer should read at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit when inserted into the thighs without touching the bone, 30 to 35 minutes. Serve sprinkled with basil, parsley, or oregano.
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, parsley, or oregano
Notes
Tips For LeftoversSpoon the sauce over the chicken in a resealable storage container. Chill and then seal. To reheat the bone-in thighs, microwave them in the sauce on 50% power for about 4 minutes or until steaming hot. The skin will no longer be crispy, so it can be discarded. Spoon the sauce over the chicken.Alternatively, you can pick the meat from the bone and mix it into the leftover sauce. Store refrigerated in a resealable container. Enjoy within four days. Microwave, covered until steaming hot, or you can simmer it on the stovetop in a small saucepan. Serve it tossed with pasta!