This elevated, comforting dinner is made for weeknights and weekends alike. Crispy-skinned chicken thighs swim in a creamy bell pepper sauce, which is robust, energetic, and both sweet and tangy thanks to brown sugar, tomatoes, and sherry vinegar. It’s a satisfying dinner that comes together quickly and begs for crusty bread to soak up every last drop.
What is piment d’Espelette?
Piment d’Espelette, or Espelette pepper, is a red chile with subtle heat balanced with sweetness, fruitiness, and a touch of smoky flavor. It’s named after the French village of Espelette in the Basque region of France.
Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
Add potatoes, cauliflower, or butternut squash to the sauce instead of chicken to make a vegetarian version of this dish.
Suggested pairing
Pair these crisp and comforting chicken thighs with a peppery, Rhône-style blend, such as Birichino Scylla Old Vine Red
This recipe was developed by Gerald Hirigoyen; the text was written by Sheela Prakash.
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Ingredients
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 4 pounds)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon plus 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
- 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 pound plum tomatoes (about 5 medium tomatoes), seeded and coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
- 1/2 cup sherry vinegar
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon piment d’Espelette, plus more for garnish
Directions
- Pat chicken dry using paper towels. Sprinkle evenly with black pepper and 1 tablespoon salt. Place chicken, skin side down, in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Cook, undisturbed, until fat is rendered and chicken skin is golden brown and crisp, 12 to 14 minutes. Flip chicken. Add oil to skillet; continue cooking chicken, undisturbed, until a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of chicken registers 170°F, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer chicken, skin side up, to a plate.
- Add bell peppers, onion, and garlic to skillet with chicken drippings; cook over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in sherry vinegar, brown sugar, piment d’Espelette, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Transfer mixture to a blender; secure lid, and remove center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over opening, and process until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Pour vegetable puree into skillet, and bring to a simmer over medium. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly, 6 to 8 minutes. Return chicken thighs to skillet, skin side up. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
- Garnish chicken with additional black pepper and piment d’Espelette before serving.
