If you love rich and savory chicken dishes, you absolutely must make this chicken puttanesca recipe! I cook fatty chicken thighs with tomatoes, garlic, anchovies, olives, capers, and more to create a deeply tangy puttanesca sauce. I always serve this one pot Neapolitan chicken recipe over spaghetti for a satisfying Italian dinner!
Neapolitan Chicken Thighs in Puttanesca Sauce
This one pan Neapolitan dish features juicy chicken thighs in a tomato-based puttanesca sauce with salty, briny olives. Capers add an even more briny element, crushed red pepper flakes add a little spice, and tomato paste and anchovies really amp up its savory, umami flavor. I love making this Italian dish when I want dinnertime to feel a little special without hassle. It’s truly restaurant-worthy while remaining super simple.
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Avoid These Mistakes if You Want Crispy Chicken Thighs
I made this puttanesca recipe with bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs because I love a good crispy skin. In order to ensure the skin gets nice and crisp, make sure to pat the chicken dry, don’t overcrowd the pan, and don’t flip the thighs before they’re ready. Overly moist chicken thighs will stick to the pan, and the skin will steam. The same goes for overcrowded thighs. Finally, you’ll know the skin is crispy when it naturally releases from the pan, so be patient!
Chicken Puttanesca Recipe
Equipment
- Oven-Safe Skillet
Ingredients
- 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (*)
- kosher salt (to taste)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
- 4 anchovy fillets (or 2 teaspoons anchovy paste**)
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more if you like it spicy)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup kalamata olives (pitted)
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes (1 can)
- 2 tablespoons capers (drained)
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth (or water)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Pat the chicken dry and season lightly with salt on all sides.3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, kosher salt
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving until the skin is golden, about 5-7 minutes. Flip and cook on the second side until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.2 tablespoons olive oil
- To the skillet, add the garlic and anchovies. Cook, stirring and smashing up the anchovy fillets/paste until the garlic is fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.6 cloves garlic, 4 anchovy fillets
- Stir in the red pepper flakes and tomato paste. Cook and stir until the tomato paste is mostly incorporated into the oil.½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Add in the kalamata olives, diced tomatoes with their juices, capers, bay leaves, and chicken broth. Stir to combine.1 cup kalamata olives, 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, 2 tablespoons capers, 2 bay leaves, ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- Bring to a simmer and nestle the chicken into the sauce. Spoon a little over each piece of chicken.
- Transfer to the oven and cook for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is very tender and cooked through. Serve with spoonfuls of the sauce over the top.
Notes
- I recommend bringing your chicken thighs to room temperature for about 30 minutes before searing them. This will help them cook more evenly.
- Make sure not to overcrowd the skillet when searing, or the chicken will steam instead of brown. Do it in batches if needed.
- If the chicken skin is sticking to the pan, give it a few more minutes to cook before trying to release it. It should release naturally once a crust has formed.
- After searing the chicken and removing it, pour a splash of chicken broth or white wine into the hot pan to scrape up the browned bits (fond). This adds extra flavor to the sauce.
- If you prefer a less salty sauce, you can rinse the capers and olives to remove excess salt.
- If your sauce seems too thick before putting the chicken in the oven, add a little extra broth. If too thin, simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes on the stovetop first.
- Properly cooked chicken thighs should reach 165°F internally at the thickest point.
- Don’t forget to remove the bay leaves before serving. No one likes a tough bay leaf!
- Fresh parsley or basil sprinkled over the top adds color and freshness.
- This dish pairs beautifully with simple sides: roasted potatoes, polenta, or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
Key Ingredients
- Tomatoes: A can of diced or crushed tomatoes makes an excellent base for this puttanesca sauce. Trust me, canned tomatoes work even better than fresh here!
- Black Olives: Kalamata olives add a rich, briny flavor and great texture you can really bite into. Their natural firmness means they hold up well when cooked in a robust sauce.
- Anchovies: This is another key ingredient that adds deep, briny flavor. You can swap this for fish sauce or miso paste.
- Capers: If you’re feeling over-loaded on the salt and brine, you can skip this ingredient. But they really add a tangy punch that’s unbeatable!
How to Make Chicken in Puttanesca Sauce Step by Step
Prep: Gather up the list of ingredients needed to make this chicken puttanesca recipe. Bring your chicken thighs to room temperature for 30 minutes before beginning so that they cook through more evenly. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Then, thinly slice the garlic, pit the olives (if not already pitted), and drain the capers. For a less salty dish, you can rinse the capers and olives.
Season the Chicken: Pat 3 pounds of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs dry and season lightly with kosher salt on all sides. I used about 1 teaspoon across all the thighs. Remember, we’re adding a lot of other salty components (anchovies, capers, olives), so we don’t need too much salt here.
Sear the Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add in the chicken thighs, skin side down, and cook without moving until the skin is golden, about 5-7 minutes. Don’t overcrowd the pan, or the thighs will steam rather than searing; cook in batches if needed. Flip and cook on the second side until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside. We’re not aiming to cook the thighs all the way through here–they will continue to cook in the sauce later.
Sauté the Aromatics: To the same skillet (no need to wipe out), add 6 sliced cloves of garlic and 4 anchovy fillets (or 2 teaspoons of anchovy paste). Cook, stirring and smashing up the anchovy fillets/paste until the garlic is fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
Add the Tomato Paste: Stir in ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes (more if you like it spicy!) and 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. Cook and stir until the tomato paste is mostly incorporated into the oil.
Simmer the Puttanesca Sauce: Add in 1 cup of pitted kalamata olives, 14.5 ounces (1 can) of diced tomatoes with their juices, 2 tablespoons of drained capers, 2 bay leaves, and ¼ cup of chicken broth (or water). Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer and nestle the chicken into the sauce. Spoon a little sauce over each piece of chicken.
Bake the Chicken: Transfer your pan to the preheated oven and cook for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is very tender and cooked through to 165°F.
Serve: Serve Neapolitan chicken with spoonfuls of the puttanesca sauce over the top, on a bed of spaghetti or pasta if you like. Don’t forget to remove the bay leaves!
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store leftover chicken puttanesca in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in a covered baking dish in a 350°F oven for 20-30 minutes, or until warmed through. You can also microwave individual portions in 30-second increments until heated through.
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