Italian Braised One Pot Chicken (Printable Version)

Tender chicken thighs slow-cooked with tomatoes, aromatic vegetables, and Italian herbs in a single pot for effortless comfort.

# What You'll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3.3 lbs)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 large yellow onion, sliced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced

→ Liquids

07 - 14 oz canned diced tomatoes
08 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 2 tablespoons dry white wine (optional)

→ Seasonings & Herbs

10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1 teaspoon salt
12 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
15 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
16 - 1 bay leaf
17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
18 - Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs skin side down and sear until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook 5 minutes more. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.
03 - In the same pot, add onion, carrot, celery, and bell pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more until aromatic.
04 - Pour in white wine if using, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Let it bubble and reduce for 1 minute.
05 - Stir in diced tomatoes, chicken broth, oregano, thyme, basil, bay leaf, and lemon zest if using. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer.
06 - Return chicken thighs to the pot, arranging them skin side up. Once simmering, cover with lid and reduce heat to low. Braise gently for 40 minutes until chicken is tender and cooked through.
07 - Remove lid and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to allow sauce to thicken slightly and intensify in flavor.
08 - Discard bay leaf. Transfer chicken to serving platter or serve directly from pot. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve hot alongside polenta, crusty bread, or pasta.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce develops this incredible depth while the chicken becomes impossibly tender
  • Cleanup is basically nonexistent since everything happens in one vessel
  • Your kitchen will smell like an Italian grandmother has moved in
02 -
  • Resist the urge to flip the chicken constantly while searing because that golden crust equals deep flavor
  • The sauce will look thin at first but patience during that final uncovered simmer transforms it completely
03 -
  • Use bone-in thighs for the most succulent results because boneless ones dry out during long braising
  • That step where you scrape up the browned bits is where half the flavor lives so do not skip it

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