This chicken recipe is one of those that make the most regular appearance on our dinner table! It combines some pantry staples like canned tomatoes, jarred olives and herbs with chicken thighs because they stay juicy and we love the crispy skin on top. I’ve always just shared the recipe in my Instagram caption but here I’m able to expand a little and you’ll be able to come back to it or pin it for later. I’m adding some product suggestions because I get asked about my favorites a lot. Please know that if a purchase is made through an Amazon affiliate link I receive a small commision at no cost to you. This helps to keep me cooking so I appreciate your support and understanding.

Before you get started:

If using chicken breasts I highly recommend those with the skin on. Cooking time will vary based on the thickness of your chicken, but I keep a meat safe instant-read thermometer close by so that I can pull it from the oven at 165F/75C. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the breast to determine doneness.

The chorizo sausage that I use is Spanish and sliceable, not the Mexican version. You can use whichever kind available where you are.

The smoked paprika in this dish makes all the difference. Some good fresh smoked paprika that I recommend: ChiQuilin on Amazon.

A mix of olives always looks more appealing to me, but this is entirely optional. Castelvetrano are buttery and amazing, even my olive hating husband will eat those. If you’re not a fan of olives, try adding extra roasted red peppers, mushrooms or any other vegetable that you prefer.

The best result here is obtained when the chicken is seasoned ahead of time (up to 24 hours) and placed in the fridge to soak up all the flavor of smoked paprika. This step is optional but ensures that the meat is seasoned throughout.

Chicken with Chorizo Rosemary and Olives
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes - 1 hour Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 bone-in chicken thighs with skin on
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion, sliced
4-6 cloves garlic, chopped
2-4 oz Spanish chorizo sausage, sliced and quartered
1 tbsp sherry or red wine vinegar
2 oz chopped roasted red peppers
1 14.5 oz can San Marzano tomatoes, chopped (These San Marzano style tomatoes are a good alternative)
1-2 tbsp freshly chopped rosemary
1 cup whole or pitted mixed olives
2 cups chicken stock
Optional: Lemon juice to squeeze over after + fresh rosemary, crisped up in olive oil to sprinkle on top before serving. Cherry tomatoes on the vine right before it goes in the oven.

The skillet pictured is my favorite Le Creuset 2 1/4 Qt. Cast-Iron Braiser but you can use any deep skillet.

Method:
Season chicken with salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Allow to sit outside of the fridge covered for 30 minutes to that it comes closer to room temperature. This will help the flavor soak into the meat and also give you a more tender result at the end. If you have some time, season the chicken and cover then place in the refrigerator overnight for best results. Remove chicken from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.

Heat a cast iron skillet or braiser to medium. Add olive oil and sear chicken for 5 minutes per side until browned then set aside. Add onions, garlic and chorizo to pan and sauté until onions are translucent (5 minutes) Deglaze the skillet with red wine vinegar or sherry, scraping any bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon.

Add red peppers, tomatoes, rosemary, olives and chicken stock then stir. Simmer until reduced slightly (5 minutes) and add your chicken plus optional cherry tomatoes on the vine. Put a lid on and simmer on medium-low heat for 30-45 minutes OR bake/roast uncovered at 350F until chicken is 165F/75C internal temp. For me that’s about 25-30 minutes but the timing will differ based on the thickness of your chicken. That instant read thermometer will come in handy here. If you’ve chosen to cook it on the stovetop the skin will not be crispy - I recommend placing the skillet under the broiler of your oven for 10 minutes to crisp it up.

Remove from the oven. Before serving, add fresh rosemary or rosemary crisped up in some olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Save the olive oil used to dip fresh bread into, it’s heavenly! Squeeze optional lemon juice over and serve over rice, polenta, vegetable mash or pasta.