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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Overcrowding: Crowding steams instead of browning. Sear in batches and leave space.
Chicken skin is deeply golden brown and crispy.
REMOVE
Remove the chicken thighs (1200 g) from the skillet and set aside.
Seared chicken thighs are removed from the skillet.
ADD
Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Onions are softened.
ADD
Add the minced garlic (4 cloves) and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
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.
Hot-pan splash: Deglazing can steam and spit. Pour slowly and keep your face/hands back.
Scorch risk: Reductions can go from perfect to burnt fast. Keep an eye on the bottom and stir if needed.
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.
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.
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.
Scorch risk: Reductions can go from perfect to burnt fast. Keep an eye on the bottom and stir if needed.
Chicken is cooked through and tender.
REMOVE
Remove the lid and simmer for another 5-10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly.
Sauce has thickened slightly.
DISCARD
Discard the thyme and rosemary sprigs. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Herbs are removed, and seasoning is adjusted.
SERVE
Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley (optional).
Dish is ready to be served.
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