Juicy & flavor-packed these Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes and Olives will become your easy, go-to, 30-minute meal to make for an easy family dinner or dinner party with guests!
This post is sponsored by Pure Flavor®. All opinions are my own.
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Why you'll love this recipe
Seared & braised chicken thighs in a luscious bursting tomato & olive sauce are straight up phenomenal! I realized I have a tendency to pair tomatoes and olives together, but this is my first recipe where they are slowly cooked together to meld their flavors into something wonderful. The ingredients used in this dish are nothing fancy, but paired together yield such an incredible dish!
Here are my key favorite things about this recipe:
- Easy to make. This Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes and Olives recipe is very easy, doesn't require any fancy equipment or preparation methods.
- Only takes 30 minutes to prepare (or less!). The prep time is very limited. I have made this recipe in 20 minutes and placed it in the oven to do its magic!
- Uses simple ingredients. I won't be asking you to search for ingredients that are hard to find! This chicken recipe uses mostly pantry staples, you may need to buy some extra olives and tomatoes, which can be found at all grocery stores.
- Super delicious! Even though it's so easy to make, these chicken thighs are incredibly delicious!!
- Naturally gluten free. This recipe is naturally gluten free since all the ingredients used don't generally contain gluten.
Why this recipe works
This recipe works because it balances the sweet & salty flavors perfectly. Sweet bursting tomatoes with savory salty olives are a match made in heaven. Basting the chicken with the juicy liquid at the bottom of the pan will help it stay moist and packed with flavor. We also add salt in different stages through the recipe to ensure the dish is properly seasoned.
Ingredients you'll need
You only need simple and fresh ingredients for this recipe that you can easily find at any grocery store:
- Chicken thighs - I love using chicken thighs in this recipe because they always stay juicy and are very hard to dry out. I opt for a skin-on bone-in chicken thigh since I find it works best in this recipe!
- Fine sea salt - Salt is your best friend in the kitchen and don't be scared of it! You can also use kosher salt if that's what you have on hand.
- Avocado oil - Neutral oil is best for searing chicken so it has a lower smoke point and doesn't burn. I like to use avocado oil but you can also use a grapeseed or canola oil.
- Yellow onion - The onions become jammy in this recipe and get mixed with the burst tomatoes for the ultimate flavor punch!
- Garlic - Fresh garlic is everything I want in a dish! Garlic is flavorful and aromatic and works perfectly in this recipe.
- Pure Flavor® Sangria® Medley Tomatoes - These small baby tomatoes are perfect in this recipe because they come in a stunning colorful assortment and are bursting with flavor!
- Olives - I love the combination of Pimiento Manzanilla olives and Black olives. I simply crush them with my fingertips to give them a rough "chop" of sorts.
- Fresh thyme- I think thyme is such an underrated herb that needs more attention! It works wonders in this recipe.
- Granulated sugar - I promise this recipe doesn't taste sugary! The sugar enhances the flavor of the tomatoes and allows the jammy saucy onions & tomatoes to caramelize to perfection.
- Ground black pepper - This is an essential ingredient for well balanced dishes! A little bit of pepper goes a long way.
- Fresh parsley - Once the chicken is baked, we brighten up the dish with fresh parsley. Not only does it taste delicious, but it looks vibrant and fresh.
Ingredient swaps and substitutions
This recipe is highly flexible in many ways! Of course swapping an ingredient will change the flavor a bit, but it will still be delicious and you may discover something you love even more using your favorite ingredients.
- Use a red onion or a 3 shallots instead of a yellow onion! This can be super delicious and yield different results.
- Swap sugar for honey or maple syrup! If you don't have sugar at home or want this to be healthier, don't worry, you can use maple syrup or honey instead.
- Use another variation of olives in place of my recommended Pimiento Manzanilla olives and Black olives.
- Swap the parsley for other fresh herb such as cilantro or dill.Choose whichever herb you like the most!
Instructions
Making these Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes and Olives is super straight forward. Let's learn how to make it!
- Begin with searing your salted chicken thighs in hot oil until the skin is golden and crisp, about 3-5 minutes.
- Next, sautée the onions and garlic in the residual oil from the chicken and then add the tomatoes, olives, salt, thyme and sugar.
- Carefully place chicken thighs back into the pan and spoon the hot tomato-olive liquid over each chicken thigh so they’re coated in flavor. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake covered for 40 minutes.
- Uncover at the 40 minute mark, baste with the tomato liquid and cook at 425°F for 20 minutes.
- Allow chicken to cool 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley!
Recipe FAQ's
- Can you braise chicken thighs too long?
The answer is yes and no! When we cover the chicken thighs and cook them in the liquid tomatoes we are essentially braising them. Once we uncover the pan, they're more susceptible to drying out. So when they're covered they should be continuing to get juicier and have a much lower chance of overcooking.
- What can I do with a lot of cherry tomatoes?
Make this recipe! This recipe uses a whole two pints of cherry tomatoes, so it's definitely a great start.
- What is a good side dish to have with this chicken?
I'm a rice gal, so I'll suggest a Jasmine or Basmati rice on the side, so you can spoon the onion-tomato liquid on top and eat it all in a bowl together.
Top tips
Thankfully, cooking is not a science so it's much easier to fix mistakes in your cooking recipes. I still want to set you up for success in this recipe though, so here are my top tips for making perfect Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes and Olives.
- Make sure your pan is hot before & while searing the chicken so that the skin will get crispy and won't stick to the pan. If your chicken is sticking to the pan it's because the skin hasn't cooked for long enough yet or the pan isn't hot enough.
- Slice half the tomatoes in half and leave the remaining whole. This will help the tomatoes "burst" faster since they're already open and their juices will come out and form a saucy texture.
- Using fresh garlic is key since it lends such an integral flavor to the sauce of this dish.
Related recipes you may love
Here are four delicious salad recipes that I thought you may like to pair with the braised chicken!
Have you tried this recipe? Consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. Or, consider following me on Facebook or Instagram! Thanks for visiting.
Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes and Olives
Ingredients
- 6 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs
- 2 ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 tablespoon avocado oil (or other neutral oil)
- 1 medium onion sliced into thicken semi circles
- 4 garlic cloves sliced
- 2 pints Pure Flavor® Sangria® Medley Tomatoes or cherry tomatoes half sliced and half whole
- ½ cup pimiento manzanilla olives crushed
- ½ cup pitted black olives crushed
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In an oven-safe pan with high sides, add 2 tablespoons of avocado oil. Heat on a medium flame until slightly sizzly.
- Sprinkle both sides of the chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon salt.
- Place half of the chicken thighs, skin side down, into the hot oil. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until the skin easily pulls away from the pan and is a golden yellow color. Turn the chicken over and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a plate.
- Repeat the chicken cooking process in Step 3 with the remaining 3 chicken thighs. Place chicken thighs onto the plate with the other pieces from before.
- The pot should still be hot with leftover oil. To the pot, add the sliced onion and garlic. Cook 3 minutes until onions are beginning to become translucent.
- Next, add 1 tablespoon oil, tomatoes, green olives and black olives and mix to combine. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the tomato juices appear. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, chopped thyme and sugar. Cook for another 2 minutes.
- Carefully place chicken thighs back into the pan and spoon the hot tomato-olive liquid over each chicken thigh so they’re coated in flavor.
- Sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt over the entire pan of chicken along with black pepper.
- Cover the pan with an oven-safe lid (or aluminum foil) and bake for 40 minutes.
- Uncover at the 40 minute mark, baste with the tomato liquid and cook at 425°F for 20 minutes.
- Allow chicken to cool 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Notes
- Make sure your pan is hot before & while searing the chicken so that the skin will get crispy and won't stick to the pan. If your chicken is sticking to the pan it's because the skin hasn't cooked for long enough yet or the pan isn't hot enough.
- Onion Substitute: Use a red onion or a 3 shallots instead of a yellow onion! This can be super delicious and yield different results.
- Sugar Substitute: Swap sugar for honey or maple syrup! If you don't have sugar at home or want this to be healthier, don't worry, you can use maple syrup or honey instead.
- Olive Substitute: Use another variation of olives in place of my recommended olives.
- Parsley Substitute: Swap for other fresh herb such as cilantro or dill.
- Storage: This dish can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days before eating.
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