I always love a new chicken recipe, and this one featuring chicken thighs and red peppers did not disappoint. Crispy Chicken Thighs with Red Peppers and Capers comes from Giada’s Italy cookbook by Giada DeLaurentiis.
I doubled the amount of chicken, so I cooked the eight thighs in two batches on the stovetop – four at atime. I did not use as much oil as Giada calls for. For instance, when adding the peppers and shallots to the pan, I just used the oil that was remaining from browning the chicken thighs. I even removed a bit.
The bread crumb portion of this recipe is so delish. The whole dish is packed with tons of flavor. I hope you enjoy it!
Crispy Chicken Thighs with Peppers and Capers
Course: MainCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes45
minutesIngredients
1/4 cup olive oil
4 chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 anchovy fillet or 1/2 tsp. anchovy paste
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced into thin strips
1 shallot, diced small
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp. capers, drained and rinsed
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Heat 2 Tbsp. of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Dry the chicken very well with paper towels and season evenly on both sides with 3/4 tsp. of the salt. Place the thighs in the hot pan, skin-side down and cook without moving for about 8 minutes, or until dark brown. Flip the thighs and cook an additional 3 minutes. Transfer the thighs to a baking sheet and roast for 10 to 15 minutes or until an instant read thermometer registers 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- While the chicken roasts, place the same pan over medium heat and add the remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Add the anchovy and mash it with the back of a wooden spoon until it dissolves into the oil. Add the bell pepper and the remaining 1/4 tsp. salt to the pan and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, until cooked through and soft. Stir in the shallots and cook an additional minute. Add the olives, capers and oregano to the pan and stir to combine.
Please note: The Jersey Girl cooked 8 chicken thighs, 4 at a time in 2 batches before placing in the oven. She did not add more oil before adding the anchovy. She actually removed some of the oil left behind from the chicken browning before proceeding with Step 3.
- Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the pepper mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until the bread crumbs have soaked up the flavored oil. Cook, stirring constantly, until the bread crumbs are toasted and the flavors have married, about another 3 minutes. Stir in the parsley. Spoon the bread-crumb mixture onto a platter. Top with the chicken thighs and drizzle with any accumulated juiced from the baking sheet.
