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Basque Chicken with Peppers, Tomatoes, and Herbs Tonight

Annahita Carter
Basque chicken with peppers is a stovetop braise that turns simple pantry produce into a saucy, satisfying meal, simmered with sweet bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and gentle warmth from paprika or Espelette pepper.
4.86 from 7 votes
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Resting Time 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Basque, French
Servings 4 servings
Calories 520 kcal

Equipment

  • Wide 11–12 inch (28–30 cm) skillet or Dutch oven with lid
  • Tongs
  • Knife
  • Cutting board

Ingredients
  

  • 6 small bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs about 2 lb / 900 g
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil for searing and sautéing
  • 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced (about 10–11 oz / 300 g)
  • 3 bell peppers (2 red, 1 green) cut into 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) strips (about 1 1/2 lb / 675 g)
  • 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced or minced
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 can crushed or diced tomatoes 14.5 oz / 400 g
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste optional
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3–4 fresh thyme sprigs or 1/2 tsp / 1 g dried thyme
  • 1 tsp Espelette pepper or 3/4 tsp sweet paprika plus a pinch of cayenne
  • 3/4–1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley chopped
  • 1 tsp sugar optional, if tomatoes taste very sharp
  • 1–2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil optional, to drizzle at the end

Instructions
 

  • Pat the chicken dry and season all over with about 3/4 tsp (4–5 g) salt and black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil in a wide 11–12 inch (28–30 cm) skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.
  • Sear the chicken skin-side down without moving until deeply golden, 7–9 minutes. Flip and brown the second side for 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a plate; leave the flavorful fat in the pan.
  • Add the onion with a small pinch of salt. Cook, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until translucent and lightly golden at the edges, 5–7 minutes.
  • Stir in the bell peppers. Cook until softened and glossy with a few browned spots, 8–10 minutes. If the pan looks dry, add a spoon of oil.
  • Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, 30–45 seconds. Stir in the Espelette pepper (or paprika/cayenne) and tomato paste; cook 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
  • Deglaze with the white wine. Scrape the pan bottom thoroughly and let the wine reduce by roughly half, 2–3 minutes.
  • Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a lively simmer, then taste the sauce and season lightly — it will concentrate as it cooks.
  • Nestle the chicken back in, skin-side up. The sauce should come about halfway up the pieces; add a splash of water if needed. Cover and simmer gently over medium-low heat for 20–25 minutes, until the thighs are tender (internal temp 175–185°F / 79–85°C).
  • Uncover and simmer 8–12 minutes to reduce to a spoon-coating consistency. Stir occasionally, nudging peppers under the sauce so they soften fully. If the sauce tastes sharp, add up to 1 tsp (5 g) sugar.
  • Fish out the bay and woody thyme stems. Sprinkle with parsley and black pepper. Rest 5 minutes so juices settle, then serve straight from the pan.

Nutrition

Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 34gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 170mgSodium: 820mgPotassium: 980mgFiber: 5gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 4200IUVitamin C: 170mgCalcium: 70mgIron: 3.2mg
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