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    Home » Recipes » Chicken & Turkey

    Braised Italian Chicken Thighs

    Published: Feb 24, 2015 · Last Updated: May 10, 2022 · 16 Comments

    1164 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Made from economical chicken thighs and a few pantry items, braised Italian chicken thighs is a basic weeknight recipe in my kitchen. Healthy comfort food made easy. Pick up chicken thighs and mushrooms at the store. From your pantry, use canned tomatoes and artichoke hearts, olive oil, garlic and onions. Fresh herbs are nice as a garnish, but you can use dried herbs for the cooking. A dried Italian blend is nice, but you can use basil, oregano, even thyme or rosemary.

    Braised Italian Chicken Thighs | AFoodCentricLife.com

    Braised Italian Chicken Thighs

    Braising is a classic, two step method of cooking. Sear or brown for good color, then simmer with a liquid for flavor and tenderness. Part of the time is hands off cooking, so you can get the rest of the meal ready. Cook some noodles or rice and toss a salad to balance things out.

    Braised Italian Chicken Thighs | AFoodCentricLife.com

    Start by browning chicken thighs, skin side down, until golden. Remove from the pan. Sauté onion and garlic, then add artichoke hearts. Cook for a few minutes, then add tomatoes, mushrooms, broth and wine (if using) and herbs. Add chicken back into pan, cover and simmer until chicken is tender, about 20 minutes.

    Braised Italian Chicken Thighs | AFoodCentricLife.com

    Serve Over Noodles of Choice

    Choose either whole wheat noodles, brown rice noodles for a gluten-free option (Jovial pasta is terrific), or zucchini noodles. For directions on how to make zucchini noodles, read this post. Another option - try combining half pasta noodles with half zucchini noodles.

    Buying Chicken Thighs

    Chicken thighs come large and small. It depends on what is at the store. You'll have to eye it. If I buy 4 large at 2 pounds it will serve 3-4; 1 for me and 2 for my husband and an extra for a lunch. If you're used to chicken breasts please try thighs. The are tender and moist. And for another great chicken thigh recipe try my easy baked teriyaki version.

    Braised Italian Chicken Thighs | AFoodCentricLife.com

    Tools Note

    Choose a pan wide enough that you can get all of the chicken thighs in a single layer and deep enough that you can add the rest of the ingredients without it bubbling over. You will also need a tight fitting lid. The photo above is a 3 ½ quart Le Creuset brasier. A 5 ½ quart Le Creuset Dutch oven works too.

    If your family loves Italian-inspired meals, try this reader favorite, Easy Chicken Parmesan.

    Italian Braised Chicken Thighs

    With chicken thighs and a few pantry items you can have this satisfying dish on the table in no time.  Serve over brown rice noodles, zucchini noodles or rice. If not using wine in cooking, increase broth to 1 ¼ cups. As chicken thighs vary in size, you may have to eye it at the market and choose pieces over the weight. 
    Print Recipe Rate Recipe
    3 from 2 votes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: chicken, thighs, vegetables
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 673kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 ½ pounds bone-in, skin on chicken thighs
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
    • 1 tablespoons olive oil
    • ¾ cup chopped onions
    • 6 ounces quartered canned artichoke hearts about half a can, drained
    • 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
    • 2 teaspoons dried herbs Italian blend, oregano, or basil
    • 1 pinch red pepper flakes
    • ¾ cup chicken broth
    • ½ cup red wine optional, or use more broth
    • 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
    • 8 ounces small mushrooms quartered
    • 2 teaspoons fresh chopped parsley or oregano optional
    • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan optional, skip for dairy-free

    Instructions

    • Trim excess fat and skin from chicken thighs. Season chicken with salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Heat olive oil in a pan large enough to hold the chicken flat in a single layer over medium heat. Use a 5 ½ quart Dutch oven, 3 ½ quart brasier, or 3-4 quart saute pan. Add the chicken skin side down and cook until the skin has a golden crust, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate or rimmed baking pan.
    • Drasin ex ess chicken fat but leave a little. Add onion to the pan. You should hear a light sizzle when the onion hits the surface. Cook onion until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Turn the heat down if needed so the onion does not burn. Add the artichokes hearts, garlic, dried herbs, and red pepper and cook 1-2 minutes. Add the wine and broth and cook 2-3 minutes.
    • Add the tomatoes to the pan and stir to mix them in. Nestle the chicken thighs into the vegetables and add the mushrooms. Turn the heat up until the pan is bubbling. Place the lid on the pan, turn heat to low and cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°, 18-20 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and Parmesan.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 673kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 238mg | Sodium: 546mg | Potassium: 815mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 238IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Madonna/aka/Ms. Lemon says

      February 24, 2015 at 7:07 pm

      I pinned your braised chicken - it made my mouth water.

      Reply
      • Sally Cameron says

        February 24, 2015 at 7:15 pm

        Thanks Madonna! The leftovers are good too. I finished one up for dinner last night and piled all of the veggies over green beans. No noodles needed, although I have done it with the zucchini noodles and even a combine of half zucchini and half brown rice. All good.

        Reply
    2. Brenna Rastrelli says

      February 25, 2015 at 12:40 am

      Wow something new that I can't wait to try, perfect for cold rainy weather!

      Reply
      • Sally Cameron says

        February 25, 2015 at 3:00 am

        Exactly what I was thinking Brenna. Its warm and sunny here is California, but I watch the news and think of all my friends across the country with so much cold weather and snow. Hope you will report back after you make it. Sure is easy and tastes so good. Thanks for your comment.

        Reply
    3. Amy Rising says

      February 27, 2015 at 2:52 am

      Hi Sal - just made your Braised Italian Chicken Thighs and serving to the family over zucchini noodles! I know they will love it,,,may become the new family favorite!

      Thanks!
      Amy

      Reply
    4. Mary@SiftingFocus says

      February 27, 2015 at 3:30 am

      Looks fabulous Sally. I will definitely be making it. This is my kind of dish!

      Reply
    5. Ryan says

      March 01, 2015 at 11:12 pm

      Made up a double batch of this at the fire house tonight. It's a keeper. Will definitely be a regular meal here from now on out.

      Reply
      • Sally Cameron says

        March 02, 2015 at 2:46 am

        Love to hear that Ryan! Happy firefighters are a good thing!

        Reply
    6. Mike Whitson says

      March 12, 2015 at 6:47 pm

      Great dish! I love the rich flavor and variety of ingredients. I made this last weekend and the whole family enjoyed it. I have been enjoying the leftovers even more (I did make a double batch ;).

      Reply
    7. linda abrams says

      December 01, 2015 at 9:48 pm

      could this work with bone in chicken breasts?

      Reply
      • Sally Cameron says

        December 02, 2015 at 12:57 pm

        Hi Linda, yes it should work with bone-in chicken breasts as well. I would do 4 pieces. Cook them to 160° and the last 5 degrees, to 165°, will happen with carry over cooking. That way you will have nice moist chicken breasts. For faster cooking you could cut them in half crosswise.

        Reply
    8. Lisa Jones says

      July 03, 2016 at 10:09 am

      Would this dish freeze well?

      Reply
      • Sally Cameron says

        July 03, 2016 at 10:41 am

        I'm not sure Lisa. I've never tried to freeze it. It probably would be fine. Then thaw completely the refrigerator overnight, maybe 24 hours, slowly, and reheat in a 350° oven for about 30 minutes covered with foil. Before heating allow the dish to stand out of the refrigerator on the counter for at least 30 minutes, up to 60 to get the chill off. It will heat faster, better.

        Reply
    9. Sara says

      March 19, 2018 at 10:15 am

      How do I keep the browned skinned from sticking to the pan? So frustrating, I always seem to have this problem. What is the trick to browning the thighs without leaving the skin behind, stuck to the pan? Thanks for your help....

      Reply
      • Sally Cameron says

        March 20, 2018 at 2:11 pm

        Hi Sara. What kind of a pan are you using? Have you tried a bit of non-stick spray, or a non-stick pan? Do you use a little olive oil in the pan to cook them in? The pan I use is a Le Creuset, which is enamel coated cast iron, and don't have a sticking problem. Also, be sure to get a good crisp skin on the thighs before you try to turn them. That should help them release easily to turn. Please let me know if this helps.

        Reply
    10. Maggie says

      October 20, 2020 at 6:26 pm

      I made this in my own little way tonight and we really enjoyed it! Some small tweaks and adds include using Marsala wine instead of red wine, marinated artichoke hearts, adding a little butter to the pan to fry the chicken, and finishing the sauce with a little heavy cream. The sauce is a little thin, but i actually think next time, i'll shred the thighs so the meat and sauce really meld together. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply

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