Chicken Puttanesca

Ingredients

• 6chicken thighs
• 400 gcanned tomato sauce
• 60 gblack olives
• 60 ggreen olives
• 1 small (60 g)white onion, finely chopped
• 1 clovegarlic, finely chopped
• 2anchovy fillets
• 20 gcapers, rinsed
• 240 mlhot water
• 40 golive oil
• to tasteparsley, for garnish
• to tastesalt and pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the chicken

   Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs and brown both sides until lightly crisp, then take them out of the pan and set aside.

2. 2

   Cook the aromatics

   Add the onion and sauté for a couple of minutes, until transparent. Stir in the garlic and anchovy fillets, then fry until fragrant.

3. 3

   Add the sauce

   Pour in the tomato sauce and hot water, then bring the mixture to a boil.

4. 4

   Simmer the chicken

   Return the chicken to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for about 35 minutes, stirring from time to time.

5. 5

   Thicken the sauce

   Add the olives and capers and mix them in. Continue cooking uncovered for another 10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to your liking.

6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Adjust the salt, then turn off the heat. Garnish with parsley and serve warm.

What is chicken puttanesca?

Puttanesca is an Italian-style tomato sauce known for the salty, savoury combination of olives, capers and anchovies. This version turns it into a one-pan main by simmering chicken thighs in the sauce.

Browning the chicken first builds colour, while the long covered simmer gives it time to cook through and take on the sauce's flavour. Uncovering the pan at the end lets the sauce reduce.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 360 calories, 23g protein, 8g carbs, 26g fat.

The chicken provides most of the protein, while the tomato sauce and onion contribute carbohydrates. Olive oil supplies much of the fat, with additional fat from the chicken; olives and capers also contribute salt. Serve with a moderate portion of pasta or rice and add vegetables alongside to round out the plate.

Build the savoury base

Onion: sauté it until transparent before adding the garlic and anchovies. This gives the aromatics a chance to soften and become fragrant.

Anchovies: fry them with the garlic; they break down into the sauce and add savoury depth rather than making the dish taste strongly of fish.

Brown before simmering

Chicken: give both sides a light brown crust in the hot oil, then remove the thighs while you start the sauce. Browning adds colour and flavour, but the chicken will finish cooking in the covered pan.

Pan: use a medium pan large enough to hold the chicken in the sauce. Turn the heat down to medium-low for the simmer so the sauce cooks steadily rather than boiling hard.

Finish with olives and capers

Olives: add both black and green olives after the chicken has simmered for about 35 minutes. Their briny flavour gives the tomato sauce its distinctive puttanesca character.

Capers: rinse them before adding, as directed, then cook them with the olives for the final 10 minutes. Leave the pan uncovered so excess liquid can evaporate.

Check the sauce and chicken

Doneness: the recipe cooks the chicken covered for about 35 minutes, with occasional stirring. Check that the thighs are cooked through before serving; timing can vary with their size and whether they are bone-in.

Sauce: after the final 10 minutes uncovered, look for a thicker consistency that still coats the chicken. Keep cooking briefly if you prefer it thicker, watching that it does not catch on the pan.

Plan the 55-minute cook

Prepare the onion, garlic, olives and capers before you heat the oil, so they are ready to add in sequence. The main hands-off stretch is the covered simmer, but stir from time to time as the method specifies.

The stated total time is 55 minutes. Serve the chicken while warm, with pasta, rice or bread to make a satisfying plate.

Recipe notes & tips

• Pat the chicken thighs dry before browning to help them colour in the pan.
• Brown the thighs in batches if they do not fit in a single layer.
• Keep the heat at medium-low during the covered simmer and stir from time to time.
• Rinse the capers before adding them to the pan.
• Taste the sauce before adding more salt, since olives, capers and anchovies are already savoury.
• Let the sauce reduce uncovered until it reaches the consistency you like.

Variations

• Add chilli: include a little chilli with the garlic for a hotter sauce.
• Use boneless thighs: reduce the cooking time as needed and check that the chicken is cooked through.
• Choose one olive: use all black or all green olives if that is what you have.
• Add herbs: finish with extra parsley for a fresher garnish.
• Serve with bread: use it to mop up the tomato, olive and caper sauce.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowding the pan: the chicken may steam instead of browning; brown it in batches if needed.
• Cooking the sauce too fiercely: a hard boil can make it catch; keep the covered simmer at medium-low.
• Adding salt too early: olives, capers and anchovies are salty; taste the finished sauce before adjusting.
• Skipping the uncovered finish: the sauce may stay thin; cook it uncovered for the final 10 minutes.
• Stirring too roughly: the thighs can break apart; stir gently while they simmer.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan until piping hot throughout, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Frequently asked questions