Description
This Chicken Puttanesca (Pollo alla Puttanesca) is a rustic, flavorful Italian dish where tender chicken simmers in a bold tomato sauce infused with olives, capers, garlic, and herbs. It’s hearty, aromatic, and perfect for serving with crusty bread, rice, or pasta.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
1/2 cup (120 g) chicken stock
For the Puttanesca Sauce:
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, quartered
1/2 cup (67.5 g) Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
2 tbsp (29.57 g) capers, rinsed
1/4 cup (6 g) fresh basil leaves, torn
1/2 tsp (2.46 g) dried oregano
1 can (28 oz / 794 g) San Marzano diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp (4.93 g) dried chili flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- In a large cast-iron skillet, heat 5 tbsp olive oil with the smashed garlic over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces skin-side down and cook, turning once, for about 10 minutes or until browned. Remove chicken and set aside, discarding excess oil.
- In the same skillet, heat 3 tbsp olive oil and sauté the quartered garlic for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Stir in olives, capers, basil, and oregano; cook for 1 minute to release their aroma.
- Add the diced tomatoes, then season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Cook for 3 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Return the chicken pieces to the skillet, spooning sauce over the top. Pour in the chicken stock, cover with an oven-safe lid or foil, and bake for 1 hour or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh basil, and serve hot with bread, pasta, or rice.
Notes
Add anchovy fillets to the sauce for a deeper, more traditional flavor.
Use chicken thighs or drumsticks for a juicier result.
Include tomato paste or cherry tomatoes for a richer sauce.
Serve with crusty bread, mashed potatoes, or pasta to soak up the sauce.
Freeze leftovers for up to 2 months or refrigerate for 3 days.
Reheat gently over low heat or in the oven at 160°C (325°F).
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion (1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 870mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 25g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
