Chicken Puttanesca Recipe
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 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 6 large bone-in chicken thighs, about 3 pounds
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 5 fillets anchovies, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons sugar, optional
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ cup pitted Italian olives, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons drained jarred capers
- 1 tablespoon chopped 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.3 cloves garlic, 5 fillets anchovies, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 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
Can this be made with boneless skinless chicken breast?
We tested this with chicken breasts and favored the texture of crispy-skinned chicken thighs over boneless breasts. In our tests, the breast meat became tough and dry in the acidic sauce. Chicken thighs are hard to overcook and get more tender as they simmer in the sauce. We also love the way the chicken skin becomes crisp!
Can this recipe be made with boneless skinless chicken thighs?
Yes! You can make this with skinless thighs, but make sure to add a little olive oil to the skillet after you brown them to cook the garlic and anchovy. They will also bake faster, so check to see if they are cooked through after roasting for 10 to 15 minutes.
Serving: 1 chicken thigh + ¾ cup of the sauce, Calories: 393kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 144mg, Sodium: 886mg, Potassium: 624mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 399IU, Vitamin C: 14mg, Calcium: 69mg, Iron: 3mg