Chicken Puttanesca
Puttanesca sauce is typically served as a pasta, but we thought this would be better.
Roasted chicken in a cast iron pan, smothered in garlic, tomato and anchovies, combined with the brininess of the olives, which is really what makes the Puttanesca sauce so amazing.
We added Cherry tomatoes, and our own twist... Feta cheese. Why feta cheese? because how can a combination of Feta, olives, anchovies and tomato, can go wrong. It's sweet, salty, and savory all in one amazing pan of deliciousness.
So Let's do this...
ingredients:
3 lb. Skinless, bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks or whole legs
2 Tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
6 (2 Tbsp) Garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 Oil-packed anchovy fillets
1 Tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp Tomato paste
1 cup black olives, crushed, pits removed
Half cup dry white wine
1 Cup chicken stock
Half cup Feta cheese (preferably Greek or Bulgarian)
1 Cup cherry tomatoes
1 Tsp chopped parsley
Kosher salt and crushed Black pepper for seasoning
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, then season all over with salt and Black pepper.
Step 2
Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering.
Cook chicken, turning occasionally, until it has rendered some of its fat 3–5 minutes.
Transfer chicken to a plate.
You’ll have a pool of fat left in the pan. Don not Discard ! It's full of flavor and we're going to use it to cook up the sauce.
Step 3
Reduce heat to medium and add garlic and anchovies to skillet.
Cook, stirring often, until garlic is softened and anchovies have broken down into the oil (2–3 minutes).
Add the red pepper flakes
Then add the tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomato paste begins to split and stick to pan, (about 3 minutes).
Add olives, wine, lemon zest and bring to a simmer, Increasing the heat ever so slightly.
Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the wine has evaporated, (about 5–7 minutes).
Step 4
Bring back the chicken and add into the sauce.
Cover with the chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
Transfer the skillet to oven and bake, uncovered, and roast for 15 min.
Remove from oven, baste the chicken (this step will assist in guaranteeing better flavor and color).
Sprinkle the Feta cheese, and return to oven.
Continue to roast for another 15min at 350 F.
Remove from oven, finish with the chopped parsley. Then get some hot flat bread, grab a piece of chicken and head directly into that sauce.
Bon Appétit