Description
Spanish Chicken in Bravas Sauce is a hearty and flavorful dish featuring tender chicken thighs cooked in a smoky paprika and tomato sauce with white beans, olives, and fresh herbs. This authentic Spanish-inspired recipe is perfect for a comforting dinner served over rice.
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 and sauce together.
- Brown chicken: Sprinkle chicken thighs with smoked paprika and salt on both sides. Heat olive oil in a skillet and brown the chicken in batches until golden but not fully cooked. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté vegetables: In the same pan, add chopped onion, sliced red bell pepper, and sliced garlic. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add spices and herbs: Stir in 1/2 tsp smoked paprika and thyme leaves. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes to build flavor.
- Make sauce: Pour in canned chopped tomatoes, water, red wine vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Increase heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Incorporate olives and beans: Stir olives and white beans into the sauce to combine well.
- Bake chicken and sauce: Place browned chicken thighs on top of the sauce in the pan and bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 40 minutes until chicken is fully cooked.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle chopped parsley over the dish and serve hot over cooked rice or your preferred side.
Notes
- Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for more flavor and moisture.
- Adjust the amount of smoked paprika according to your spice preference.
- For a thicker sauce, simmer longer until desired consistency is reached.
- Serve over rice, crusty bread, or with roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
