This One-Skillet Chicken Puttanesca highlights the trifecta of olives, capers, and tomatoes with the crispiest, cracking chicken skin ever.
Is there anything more delicious than crispy chicken skin? Chicken thighs in particular are incredibly delicious and packed with bone-in flavour and when seared correctly make for the ultimate crackling chicken ever. Now, pair it with the puttanesca trifecta of olives, capers, and tomatoes and you've got yourself a crispy prostitute.
The trick for the crispiest, pan-fried chicken puttanesca involves chicken thighs skin down on a cold skillet dressed with salt and pepper. Gradually building up heat, the fat renders out slowly and what you're left with are juicy and flavourful chicken thighs glazed with crackling skin and a harmonious medley of citric tomatoes, early capers, and tangy olives ideal over pasta, rice, or a simple salad.
How to Make Crispy Chicken Puttanesca
Ingredients and Preparation
Ingredients you'll need for our chicken puttanesca include, chicken thighs, garlic, anchovies (optional but recommended), tomatoes, black olives, capers, basil, salt and pepper.
Preheat your oven to 400°F and have an oven safe skillet or dutch oven ready.
Cook the Chicken
Pat the chicken dry with a cloth or paper towel. Season both sides of the chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Place the chicken skin down in a cold, oven safe skillet. Place on the stove and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook for 15 minutes, without touching the chicken until the skin is crispy and brown.
Add the Puttanesca Ingredients
Turn the chicken over and add the garlic and anchovies. Mash the anchovies into a paste, then add the tomatoes, olives, and capers, being careful not to cover the chicken. Place the skillet in the oven to cook for an additional 15-18 minutes, until the tomatoes are starting to breakdown.
Style and Serve
Lay a spoonful of the puttanesca sauce on your favorite plate. Top with the chicken, skin side up, then spoon additional sauce on top. Garnish with basil and serve with a side of pasta or salad.
Recipe Card
Crispy Skillet Chicken Puttanesca
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs skin on and boneless
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 2.5 cups tomatoes chopped
- ½ cup black olives pitted
- 2 tablespoon capers chopped
- ¼ cup basil chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400° F.
- Pat the chicken dry with a cloth or paper towel. Season both sides of the chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Place the chicken skin down in a cold, oven safe skillet. Place on the stove and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook for 15 minutes, without touching the chicken until the skin is crispy and brown.
- Turn the chicken over and add the garlic and anchovies. Mash the anchovies into a paste then add the tomatoes, olives, and capers, being careful not to cover the chicken. Place the skillet in the oven to cook for an additional 15-18 minutes, untils the tomatoes are starting to breakdown.
- To serve, garnish the chicken with basil and serve with salad, pasta, or on a sandwich.
Nutrition
Additional Information
Kimberly says
I want to try this but just want to make sure I don't have to oil the pan before I place the thigh skin side down? Will the chicken's natural juices be enough to not stick to the pan? Thank you
Chef Sous Chef says
Hi Kimberly,
You don't have to use oil beforehand if using a heavy-bottomed or cast iron pan, and as long as you place the chicken in the pan before it heats up. If you are using a stainless steel pan, then you can add about 2 teaspoons just to provide a very light coating of the pan. In either case the chicken will stick a bit to the bottom until it is crisp, so if it's sticking to the bottom it's not time to flip it yet. Hope this helps! Enjoy the recipe.
Melissa says
The tip about the cold pan is amazing! The skin was so crispy, I couldn't believe it. The sauce is a great match with the chicken. Served with a salad and you have a perfect healthy meal.
Chef Sous Chef says
Thanks for the comment Melissa. The cold pan trick is great for bacon and pancetta too.