Mediterranean Thighs

I have prepared this recipe many times when I craved something hearty, with roasted vegetables and tender meat. I especially use it when I find good chicken thighs and have some colorful bell peppers in the fridge. It’s not hard, but it requires a bit of patience to let the sauce reduce in the oven.

Quick Info

Total time: about 1 hour and 30 minutes
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking/baking time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: main dish, suitable for lunch or dinner

Ingredients

6 whole chicken thighs
3 large onions
3 red bell peppers
2 green bell peppers
2 yellow bell peppers
15-20 black olives, pitted
10 tablespoons tomato paste
5-6 garlic cloves
1-2 tablespoons hot paprika
1-2 glasses of white wine (approx. 300-400 ml)
1-2 glasses of water (approx. 300-400 ml)
oil, for frying and greasing the baking dish
some dried basil leaves
salt
pepper

Preparation method

1. Wash the chicken thighs and dry them well with paper towels. Sprinkle salt on all sides.

2. Heat a large skillet with a little oil. Fry the thighs on both sides, over medium heat, until they turn golden brown. They don't need to be fully cooked, just browned.

3. Cut the onion, bell peppers, and sweet peppers into thin strips, julienne.

4. In a larger pot, add about 3 tablespoons of oil. Add the onion, bell peppers, and sauté for 5-10 minutes over medium heat until they soften slightly. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

5. Pour the wine and water over the vegetables. Let simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. The vegetables should remain slightly crunchy, not completely mushy.

6. Add the olives, tomato paste, crushed garlic, and hot paprika. Place the browned thighs over the vegetables. Adjust with salt and pepper. Sprinkle dried basil. Gently mix everything in the pot.

7. Prepare a baking dish and grease it with a little oil. Place the thighs and vegetables with the sauce in it.

8. Bake in the oven at 180°C for about 30 minutes. The sauce should reduce but remain slightly liquid.

9. Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Why I make this recipe often

I like that it doesn’t require hard-to-find ingredients and is adaptable to what I have in the fridge. The thighs come out tender, and the vegetables retain their texture. I can prepare it in advance if I have guests. It remains tasty the next day if you reheat it carefully.

Tips and variations

Tips

- The thighs can be separated into two if you need smaller portions or prefer more crust.
- Stir the vegetables while sautéing to prevent burning.
- If you want the sauce to reduce more, leave the dish in the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes without a lid.
- You can adjust the amount of paprika according to how spicy you want the dish.

Substitutions

- Bell peppers can be replaced with sweet peppers if you can’t find them.
- You can also use boneless chicken thighs, but whole ones retain their juiciness better.
- Green olives can be used instead of black ones if that’s what you have on hand.

Variations

- For a more Mediterranean flavor, you can add some capers or a small sprig of rosemary.
- If you don’t want it too spicy, use sweet paprika instead of hot paprika or combine to taste.
- It also works with other types of meat, such as turkey drumsticks, but the cooking time needs to be adjusted.

Serving ideas

- It pairs well with plain rice or baked potatoes.
- You can also serve it with fresh bread to soak up the sauce from the plate.

Frequently asked questions

1. Can I use boneless chicken thighs?
Yes, but be aware that they will come out a bit drier than those with bone and skin. Reduce the baking time slightly to prevent drying out.

2. Is it necessary to add white wine?
It’s not mandatory, but the wine adds flavor and tenderizes the meat. If you don’t want to use it, you can just add water or vegetable broth.

3. Can I prepare everything on the same day or can something be done in advance?
You can sauté the vegetables and brown the thighs a day in advance. Keep them in the fridge, and when you want to cook, just put them in the baking dish with the sauce and continue the recipe.

4. Can I use other types of olives?
Yes, any pitted olives are fine. Black ones give a stronger flavor, but green or mixed ones work as well.

5. Can I skip the hot paprika if I have kids?
Sure, just use sweet paprika or none at all, as needed.

Nutritional values

Estimated per serving (out of 6):
Calories: 350-450 kcal (varies depending on the type of thighs and how fatty the skin is)
Protein: 25-30 g
Fat: 20-25 g
Carbohydrates: 15-18 g
Fiber: 3-4 g

The tomato sauce and vegetables do not add many calories. The nutritional value also depends on how much oil is used and if you choose to serve with sides.

Storage and reheating

The dish lasts 2-3 days in the fridge, in a covered dish. It can be reheated in the oven or microwave at low temperature to prevent the meat from drying out. The sauce reduces more when reheated, but the taste remains good. I do not recommend freezing, as the texture of the vegetables changes and is no longer as pleasant.

 Ingredients: Ingredients: 6 thighs 3 onions 3 red bell peppers 2 green bell peppers 2 yellow bell peppers 15-20 black olives 10 tablespoons tomato paste 5-6 cloves of garlic 1-2 tablespoons hot paprika 1-2 glasses of white wine 1-2 glasses of water oil a few dried basil leaves salt pepper

 Tags:  mediterranean thighs