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Braised Chicken Thighs With Olives and Herbs

braised chicken thighs with olives and herbs in a large skillet
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Stephanie Yeh

These fall-off-the-bone tender chicken thighs from chef Carla Hall are ideal for any night of the week (especially since they’re made in one skillet). Hall starts with her Smoked Paprika and Sun-Dried Tomato Potlikker as a rich, smoky flavor foundation, then adds Kalamata olives, lemon zest, and fresh herbs for bright, uplifting notes. Making the Smoked Paprika and Sun-Dried Tomato Potlikker is a crucial step here, so be sure to read through that recipe first.

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What you’ll need

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

4–6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, smashed
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
1 cup Smoked Paprika and Sun-Dried Tomato Potlikker 
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
⅓ cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
¼ cup coarsely chopped oregano
¼ cup coarsely chopped parsley
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pat chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides.

    Step 2

    Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Arrange chicken, skin side down, in skillet and cook, undisturbed, until skin is crisp and golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Turn chicken over and cook on other side until golden brown, 5–7 minutes. Using tongs, transfer chicken to a plate, leaving fat behind.

    Step 3

    Add onions and garlic to skillet. Cook, stirring often, until onions are translucent and beginning to brown at the edges, 6–8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is jammy, 5–7 minutes. Stir in potlikker and red pepper flakes, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer.

    Step 4

    Return chicken to skillet, arranging skin side up. Cover skillet and simmer until chicken is tender and cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thighs should register 165°), 15–17 minutes.

    Step 5

    Uncover skillet; scatter olives, oregano, parsley, and lemon zest over chicken.

TagsDinnerEasyWeeknight MealsGluten FreeDairy FreeNut FreeChicken ThighChickenPoultryOliveBraiseMainBon Appétit

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