Braised Chicken Thighs — Lemon Olive
Crispy-skinned chicken thighs braised in a bright, tangy lemon and olive sauce. A simple yet elegant weeknight dinner that's ready in under an hour.
25 min active, one pan
Braised Chicken Thighs — Lemon Olive
Crispy-skinned chicken thighs braised in a bright, tangy lemon and olive sauce. A simple yet elegant weeknight dinner that's ready in under an hour.
25 min active, one pan
Key move
Sear the chicken thighs skin-side down until deeply golden brown before braising for maximum flavor and crispy skin.
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The Setup
- Skillet or Dutch Oven12-inch
- Cutting Board
- Knife
The Mise en Place
5 of 12Your prep station before cooking begins
The Protein (0/3)
The Aromatics (0/2)
Chicken skin is not crispy.
Make sure the skillet is hot enough before searing. Pat the chicken thighs very dry before searing. Don't overcrowd the pan.
Sauce is too acidic.
Add a pinch of sugar or a knob of butter to balance the acidity.
Chef's Notes
Sear chicken thighs skin-side down until deeply golden brown for maximum flavor and crispy skin.
Add aromatics like garlic and herbs to the braising liquid during the last 30 minutes to prevent burning.
Serve with crusty bread to soak up the delicious lemon-olive braising liquid.
This dish is even better the next day. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the oven.
Watch the Technique
Video source: YouTube
The Method
PAT
Pat the chicken thighs (1200 g) dry with paper towels and season generously with salt (1 tsp) and pepper.
Steaming instead of searing: Excess moisture creates steam, preventing the skin from becoming crispy and golden.
Chicken thighs are patted dry and seasoned.
HEAT
Heat the olive oil (¼ cups) in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Oil smoking: If the oil starts smoking heavily, it is too hot; remove from heat for a moment to prevent a burnt flavor.
Olive oil is shimmering in the skillet.
SEAR
Time-sensitiveSear the chicken thighs (1200 g) skin-side down until deeply golden brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan.
Tearing skin: Attempting to flip the chicken before the skin is fully rendered will cause the skin to stick and tear.
Steaming instead of searing: Overcrowding the pan lowers the temperature, causing the chicken to steam rather than develop a crispy crust.
Chicken skin is deeply golden brown and crispy.
REMOVE
Remove the chicken thighs (1200 g) from the skillet and set aside.
Sticking skin: If the skin resists lifting, it needs another 30 seconds of searing to release naturally.
Seared chicken thighs are removed from the skillet.
ADD
Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Fond burning: If the pan gets too dry, add a splash of water or stock to prevent the fond from turning acrid and black.
Onions are softened.
ADD
Add the minced garlic (4 cloves) and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Garlic bitterness: Burnt garlic is impossible to fix and will ruin the entire braising liquid.
Garlic is fragrant and lightly golden.
DEGLAZE
Deglaze the pan with white wine (if using), scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let the wine reduce slightly.
Burnt fond: If the browned bits look black rather than deep brown, discard them as they will taste bitter.
Wine has reduced slightly, and browned bits are scraped from the pan.
ADD
Add the chicken broth (1 cup), lemon juice, lemon zest, olives, thyme sprigs, and rosemary sprig to the skillet.
Steam burn: Adding liquid to a hot pan creates a rapid burst of steam; stand back to avoid burns.
All braising liquid ingredients are added to the skillet.
RETURN
Return the chicken thighs (1200 g) to the skillet, skin-side up. Bring the liquid to a simmer.
Soggy skin: Do not submerge the chicken skin in the liquid, or it will lose the crisp texture achieved during searing.
Chicken thighs are back in the skillet and the liquid is simmering.
REDUCE
Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet, and simmer for 30-35 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
Overcooking: If the heat is too high, the sauce will evaporate and the chicken will become dry.
Chicken is cooked through and tender.
REMOVE
Remove the lid and simmer for another 5-10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly.
Over-reduction: If the sauce reduces too far, it may become overly salty due to the olives and broth.
Sauce has thickened slightly.
DISCARD
Discard the thyme and rosemary sprigs. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Woody residue: Leaving behind broken herb stem pieces creates an unpleasant, splintery texture in the sauce.
Herbs are removed, and seasoning is adjusted.
SERVE
Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley (optional).
Soggy Garnish: Avoid adding parsley while the chicken is covered or steaming, as the heat will cause the herbs to wilt and turn dark.
Dish is ready to be served.
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