Chicken puttanesca is an easy, so delicious Italian dish made with chicken tights braised on a flavored tomato sauce, olives and capers. A truly Mediterranean and scrumptious dish to serve at any weeknight dinner.

What is chicken puttanesca?

This recipe is an easy, one pan dish that is the meaty version of the famous Italian sauce “puttanesca”. The dish comes out in about 30 minutes. You can make it with chicken tights as suggested on the recipe or use chicken breast or drumsticks.

The name comes from the famous Italian sauce puttanesca which is normally used to coat pasta. Our recipe features simple ingredients and is so easy to make.

How to serve it

For my Italian husband there’s nothing more satisfying than eating chicken puttanesca with some homemade bread or focaccia.  So he can fare la scarpetta (mop up the sauce from the plate using a little piece of bread) .

But in fact you can serve this delicious dish over a plate of simple cooked spaghetti, a bowl of white rice or even with a green salad on the side.

Chicken puttanesca on a pan served at the table.

What do you need

This amazing italian dish is prepared with simple ingredients. Nothing fancy or hard to find. A pure joy of mediterranean ingredients that can be found easily at the supermarket. Here are the ingredients needed:

The ingredients displayed on a concrete dark surface.

Step by step recipe

In a medium pan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken tights and brown both sides until lightly crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the onion and sauté for a couple of minutes until transparent. Stir in garlic and anchovies and fry until fragrant.

Pour the tomato sauce and a cup of hot water. Bring to a boil.

Return the chicken to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for about 35 minutes stirring from time to time.

Add oregano, capers and olives. Mix and keep cooking uncovered for another 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens to your liking.

Adjust salt to your taste and turn off the heat. Garnish with parsley and serve warm.

Tips & Tricks

  • When returning the chicken to the pan, don’t forget the juices the chicken released, there’s a lot of flavor in there and you don’t want to waste it!
  • Make this recipe one day ahead and rejoice with the enhanced flavors!
  • The anchovies add a nice mediterranean flavour, but if you don’t like them or don’t have any available, just leave them out.
  • Onions add balance to the otherwise acidic tomato sauce. If you don’t have onions or can’t eat them, replace it with 1 tablespoon of sugar.
  • You can also use other parts of the chicken, like breast cut in cubes or drumsticks.

How To Store

Place leftovers into an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.

Also, chicken puttanesca usually lasts well (around 5 days or so) in your refrigerator, this is great if you’re planning to prepare a big batch of the recipe and have it for dinner on a weeknight.

Watch How We Make It

Italian chicken puttanesca

Chicken Puttanesca

6
Chicken puttanesca is an delicious dish made with a scrumptious tomato sauce, olives and capers. A mediterranean main dish that is fantastic to serve over pasta, rice, or with bread.
prep 10 minutes
cook 45 minutes
total 55 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 6 chicken thighs
  • 2 cups (400 g) tomato sauce (canned)
  • â…“ cup (60 g) black olives
  • â…“ cup (60 g) green olives
  • 1 small (60 g) white onion (finely chopped)
  • 1 garlic clove (finely chopped)
  • 2 anchovy's fillets
  • 2 ½ Tbsp (20 g) capers (rinsed)
  • 1 cup (240 ml) hot water
  • 3 Tbsp (40 g) olive oil
  • Parsley (for garnish)
  • salt & pepper

Instructions
 

  • In a medium pan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken thighs and brown both sides until lightly crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  • Add the onion and sauté for a couple of minutes until transparent. Stir in garlic and anchovies and fry until fragrant.
  • Pour the tomato sauce and hot water. Bring to a boil.
  • Return the chicken to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for about 35 minutes stirring from time to time.
  • Add olives and capers. Mix and keep cooking uncovered for another 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens to your liking.
  • Adjust of salt and turn off the heat. Garnish with parsley and serve warm.
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3 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I am a regular visitor of your website . I can enrich my cooking skill by seeing your blog.When Puttanesca chicken cooked with tomato it brings a good smell. you can try it .