Tomato Therapy

Braised Chicken Thighs in Spiced Tomato Pan Sauce

50 minutes
Serves 4
DinnerMediterranean
Herb's take

Tonight, we're going Mediterranean-adjacent with humble chicken cozied up in a bath of simmered tomatoes and pantry spices. Get ready to learn why browning matters and how a splash of vinegar brings everything together at the end.

Ingredients

Yield
4

Instructions

  1. 01
    Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with black pepper.
  2. 02
    Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Brown the chicken pieces on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
  3. 03
    Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet. Toss in the chopped tomatoes and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Stir and cook until the tomatoes start to break down, about 5 minutes.
  4. 04
    Add paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and sugar. Stir well to combine and cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
  5. 05
    Pour in the water and bring everything to a simmer. Return the chicken and any juices to the pan, nestling the pieces into the saucy tomatoes.
  6. 06
    Reduce heat to low, cover, and braise for 30 minutes, occasionally spooning sauce over the chicken.
  7. 07
    Uncover, raise heat to medium, and simmer for another 5 minutes to thicken the sauce, if needed.
  8. 08
    Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
  9. 09
    Serve chicken hot, spooned with plenty of tomato sauce.

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