Description
A flavorful Spanish Chicken in Bravas Sauce featuring tender chicken thighs cooked in a smoky paprika and tomato sauce with white beans and olives, served over rice for a hearty and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 8 chicken thighs
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
Sauce
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
- 400g / 14oz canned chopped tomatoes
- 1/2 cup / 125ml water
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Salt to taste
- 240g / 1 cup canned white beans (cannellini or chickpeas)
- 90g / 1/2 cup green or black olives
- 2-3 sprigs flat leaf parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) to prepare for baking the chicken with the sauce.
- Brown chicken: Sprinkle chicken thighs with smoked paprika and salt on both sides. Brown them in a skillet with olive oil over medium heat until golden but not fully cooked, cooking in batches to avoid overcrowding. Remove and set aside.
- Cook vegetables: In the same skillet, add chopped onion, sliced red bell pepper, and sliced garlic. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add spices and simmer: Add 1/2 tsp smoked paprika and thyme leaves to the skillet, cooking for another 5 minutes to develop flavors.
- Make sauce: Pour in canned chopped tomatoes, water, red wine vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Turn heat up to bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let cook for 10 minutes until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.
- Incorporate beans and olives: Stir in the canned white beans and olives to the sauce, mixing well to combine.
- Bake chicken with sauce: Place the browned chicken thighs on top of the sauce in the skillet or transfer to a baking dish. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 40 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Finish and serve: Sprinkle chopped flat leaf parsley over the dish and serve hot, ideally over cooked rice.
Notes
- Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for the best flavor and juiciness.
- If you prefer a spicier sauce, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or chili flakes when adding paprika.
- Drain and rinse canned beans to reduce sodium content.
- Fresh thyme can be substituted with dried thyme at one-third the quantity.
- The dish pairs wonderfully with steamed white rice or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be reheated gently on stovetop or in the oven.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
