Italian Braised Chicken Thighs with Olives

Kick off winter weight loss season with this Italian Braised Chicken Thighs, a high-protein one-pan dinner that makes it easy to stay on track without giving up comfort food. Juicy chicken thighs simmer in a tomato, red wine, and olive sauce that's naturally satisfying, so you feel fuller longer while keeping your calories in check.

Also try this high protein chicken dinners: Herb Roasted Chicken and Herb Roasted French Style Chicken.

High Protein Chicken Dinner ready in Minutes

Ready in about 30 minutes with simple ingredients, this protein-packed skillet meal is perfect for healthy weeknights, meal prep, and anyone focused on losing weight after the holidays!

Italian braised chicken recipe brings to mind fall and even colder temperature, where food is gently simmered for hours by the fire. Here, we use a simplified braising method that takes our chicken thighs, olives and red wine and turns them into a tender, warming plate of goodness and love.

I promise that once you braise this chicken once, you will be tempted to do it again and again. You might also like Chicken Provencal and Authentic Italian Chicken Parmigiana.

Why you will love Italian Braised Chicken Thighs

• One-Pot Dinner: Italian braised chicken simmered with tomatoes, wine, garlic, and herbs. One-pot comfort food bursting with rustic flavor-perfect for any night.
• Use Any Add-Ins You Like: You can use a variety of olives here: kalamata, green, red, black. I love using stuffed olives as well - you know, the ones with garlic inside - they are so delicious when braised. Just grab a variety pack of olives from your grocery store and play away and also try Mediterranean Bread with Olives and Feta.
• Customizable: You can easily customize the recipe with the ingredients you have on hand - use leftover red wine or even beer if that's what you prefer. Add mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes for additional flavor and texture.

Ingredients for Italian Braised Chicken

• Chicken - I often make this using skin-on bone-in chicken thighs, but boneless and skinless thighs would work as well! I browned them 4-5 minutes on each side and then removed and covered them in foil while I made the sauce and then added them back into the pan after letting the sauce simmer on med-low for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Olives - I used Kalamata and green onions, whole. They can also be chopped or cut in half. I also love to use 1 cup Kalamata olives and ¼ cp green olives (Divina brand).
• Onions and garlic - Red onion is my onion of choice here, but of course both yellow onions or red onions would work here! Garlic gives an incredible flavor to any dish, so I used 4 cloves. I would say that's the minimum.
• Red wine - I personally love to use Chianti. The bottom line is that you don't need to use an expensive bottle; just make sure it's a wine you'd enjoy drinking - no supermarket cooking wine!
• Crushed tomatoes and tomato paste - 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes is perfect and 1 can of good quality San Marzano crushed tomatoes is what I always use! Feel free to adjust the amount according to your preferences. Tomato paste will create a concentrated richness in the sauce of this dish.
• Honey, Balsamic Vinegar, Salt and Pepper - add complexity and flavor to our bland chicken.
• Olive oil and butter - for sautéing
• Garlic powder - for a different garlicky aspect! It's a staple in my pantry.

How to Make Italian Braised Chicken Thighs

This is an overview of the process. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

• Season chicken thighs and pan fry until golden, then take them out of the skillet.
• Lightly brown the garlic cloves and onions in the same pan.
• Add tomato paste and balsamic vinegar. Once the mixture is bubbling, pour wine and remaining 1 tsp Italian seasoning.You will then reduce it by cooking for only a minute or two. Now add olives, honey and crushed tomatoes. Cook the sauce for 4 more minutes until thoroughly hot.
• Add chicken by nestling the thighs inside the sauce. Move the skillet to the oven. Set the timer for 30 minutes and braise at 375 F. Turn the oven off and allow chicken to sit for extra 20 minutes before removing from the oven.

What is braising and how is it done?

Braising combines two cooking methods together. First we braise chicken by browning it at high temperature, then we simmer it in a covered pot in cooking liquid. Here we simmer our chicken in wine, crushed tomatoes and spices.

The braising liquid, or base, is a main component in the braising process, acting as both a cooking medium and a foundation for the sauce. Chicken broth is the savory base of the sauce, neutral in taste and color, that allows the natural flavors of the meat and aromatics to shine. While red wine adds an acidic element to the base, adding depth and richness, and creating a more flavorful sauce.

Braising is not the same as stewing. Stewing involves a lot more liquid, but braising uses just enough without submerging the chicken.

A braise can be done on the stove top or in the oven. In this Italian braised chicken recipe, we use oven method.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What's in the sauce? The complexity of chicken flavor is predicated on the liquid we use. This is what transfers the complexity of flavor to our meat. The combination of red wine, tomato paste, tomatoes, onion and garlic bring the most incredible nuances to this braised chicken dish.
• What wine is best? I like to use Chianti, a classic Italian wine. It's very versatile and pairs well with chicken, but any medium bodied red wine, such as Merlot or Pinot Noir, will work. Lately, however, I started cooking with Barolo, even though it can be quite expensive wine. In my opinion Barolo adds such a dominant flavor to this stew, and the flavor still holds up despite cooking. Wow, just wow.
• Should I braise chicken thighs covered? I braised chicken in a pot covered with a lid. My dutch oven was tightly lidded, ensuring that moisture and flavors stay in the pot instead of evaporating away. However, since we are braising chicken thighs here, you can also choose to do so in the open skillet, without losing flavor.
• How long should I braise my chicken? I braised mine for 45 minutes. You can definitely extend that time up to 1.5 hours by slightly reducing the oven heat. The longer you braise, the softer the meat becomes.
• What is the most optimal oven temperature for braising? I braised my chicken thighs at 375 F. For best results, braise your chicken at temperatures between 300 F. and 375 F.
• What pan or skillet should I use ? I used my 3 qt Staub enameled cast iron skillet as well as All Clad saute pan, both of which is oven safe up to 450. The cover for Staub pan is oven safe. It's the best all-around cooking utensil I own, along with my 12″ cast iron skillet.

What to serve braised chicken thighs with

• You can't go wrong serving Italian braised chicken with Garlic Butter Spaghetti or Homemade Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes.
• Lemon Garlic Chicken with Green Beans is also a nice touch.
• You can also serve this with a side of Avocado and Tomato Salad or Olive Garden Copycat Salad.

Leftovers and storage

• This Italian braised chicken will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days in a covered container.
• Reheat in a small saucepan over a low heat so the sauce doesn't break, and add a splash of red wine or chicken stock to revive the sauce if needed.
• Freeze individual portions in separate zip lock bags. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave or on stove top

More delicious chicken recipes

• Baked Ranch Chicken
• Chicken and Asparagus
• Herb Roasted Chicken Thighs
• Jalapeño Peach Chicken