One Pan Sicilian Chicken with Olives and Capers

This Sicilian chicken with olives and capers is a one pan simple chicken dish that is perfect for dunking rustic bread into. Every bite is a burst of flavor with salty olives, capers, chicken and a tomato base.

I love Sicilian flavors. Many dishes are a marriage of fresh tomatoes, olives  and capers. The burst of saltiness within the sweetness of tomatoes, you can’t go wrong. In the summer when the fresh tomatoes are at their peak, this pasta Pomodoro is magical.

As far as fresh recipes go, this one is by far my favorite way to make when having company over. Not only is it simple to throw together, it is packed with flavor and a dish everyone seems to enjoy. Pair with a crusty sourdough boule and a pan placed directly in the center of the table. It is a satisfying meal no one can resist diving into.

You can place this dish in prepared bowls or serve it family style. Either way, this is a simple Sicilian skillet chicken that is just as easy as throwing a sheet pan dinner together. Only much more enticing and flavorful.

One Pan Sicilian Chicken Is…

• Delicious for dunking with crusty bread. 
• A simple Italian chicken recipe.
• One of my favorite easy recipes to make for gatherings.
• A complete meal in one pan with a simple cooking process.
• An excellent recipe that take just a few minutes of prep time.

Ingredients

Chicken- you can use a combination of chicken thighs and legs or all legs or thighs for this recipe. Use the best quality chicken you can find.

Onions- I prefer yellow onion over white for this for the subtle sweetness they offer. But white onion will also work fine and even red onion if that is what you have on hand.

Wine- use a white wine that you would drink. I recommend Pinto Grigio, Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. If you don’t have white wine on hand, you can sub out the wine for chicken stock or chicken broth.

Tomatoes- a combination of tomato paste and canned diced or cherry tomatoes create a delicious rich sauce to dunk.

Olives- Gaeta or Kalamata olives work best for this dish. They have the right saltiness needed for the sweet tomato sauce. You can use green olives if you prefer.

Capers- I prefer capers packed in brine water but vinegar is ok too.

Garlic- use large garlic cloves. I prefer fresh over minced for the best results.

Oil- I sauté the chicken in golden extra-virgin olive oil. You can use pure olive oil or even avocado oil for this.

Herbs- fresh rosemary and a few dried bay leaves are used to give the chicken dish subtle herb notes. Use fresh rosemary over dried. I use dried bay leaves for this but fresh is ok to.

Seasoning- I use sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. But Kosher salt and Himalayan are nice alternatives.  

Tools

Large Skillet or other oven safe pan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425℉. Begin by heating up the olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan or skillet over medium heat.

Add the chicken to the hot pan and season with a few sprigs of rosemary, salt and pepper.

While the chicken cooks slice the onions into strips and roughly chop the garlic. Cook the chicken on both sides until light golden brown. Pour in the white wine and allow it to cook for about a minute or two.  

Add the sliced onions, garlic, a few more rosemary sprigs, and tomato paste. Stir with a wooden spoon to help distribute the tomato paste over the chicken. Pour in the canned tomatoes, olives and capers. Place two bay leaves inside. Remove from the heat and place a lid on the pan.

Pop it into the preheated oven to bake for 30 minutes. Uncover the pan at the minute mark and continue baking for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. The dish is ready when the sauce is rich and velvety and the chicken reaches 165℉.

Notes

• Allow the chicken pieces to come to room temperature before searing them.
• Use a pan big enough to cook the chicken in a single layer.
• Cooking time can vary depending on the size of the chicken pieces. Chicken is fully cooked when the chicken reaches 165℉.
• If you don’t have a meat thermometer you can cut into the center of the chicken to check if its cooked completely. 

How To Store

Store any remaining chicken in the sauce. Place the entire contents into an airtight container or large zip top freezer bag and place in the fridge for up to two days. To reheat, place the contents into a shallow dish and heat at 280℉ for a little bit of time (about 10 minutes or so).

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Other Recipes To Try…

• Greek Lemon Potatoes Recipe
• ​Grilled Spatchcock Whole Chicken
• Classic Buttermilk Fried Chicken

If you try this recipe and love it, I would appreciate you coming back to give it 5 stars!