Chicken Thighs with Olives, Lemon and Chickpeas from the Pan

Juicy chicken thighs braise with lemon, green olives and chickpeas in one large pan. The dish can be prepared the day before and reheated shortly before serving, leaving plenty of time for your guests.

By yumbelo · 6 servings · 90 minutes

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg Chicken thighs with skin and bone
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 pc Onions
• 4 pc Garlic cloves
• 1 tsp Sweet paprika powder
• 1 tsp Ground cumin
• 1 tsp Dried thyme
• 2 pc Bay leaves
• 1 pinch Saffron threads
• 200 ml Dry white wine
• 400 ml Chicken stock
• 2 can Chickpeas, cooked and drained
• 150 g Green olives, pitted
• 2 pc Organic lemons
• 1 bunch Flat-leaf parsley

Method

1. Season the chicken thighs all over with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, ovenproof pan or braising pot and brown the thighs skin-side down in batches until golden, then remove them.
2. Cut the onions into wedges and soften them in the browning fat until translucent. Finely chop the garlic, briefly sauté it, then stir in the paprika powder, cumin and thyme.
3. Pour in the wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the stock, bay leaves and saffron and bring to a boil.
4. Return the chicken thighs to the liquid skin-side up. Cover and braise over medium to low heat for about 35 minutes.
5. Rinse and drain the chickpeas and add them to the pan together with the olives. Cook uncovered for another 15 minutes, until the meat pulls away from the bone and the sauce has thickened slightly.
6. Scrub one lemon under hot water, finely grate its zest and squeeze the juice from both lemons. Stir in the lemon zest and half of the juice, then season with salt and pepper.
7. Finely chop the parsley and sprinkle it over the dish before serving. Cut the second lemon into wedges and serve alongside.
8. To prepare ahead, let the dish cool completely, store it covered in the refrigerator and on the day of serving reheat it gently over medium heat for about 20 minutes, until hot.