The Strategy
Searing the chicken thighs skin side down first browns them quickly, and they render fat into the pan for the sauce. Anchovies give the sauce a really earthy, salty flavor, and tomato paste gives it a rich, sweet balance to the tart lemon. Deglazing with white wine gets all the really good stuff off the bottom of the pan.
Technique Summary
Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, sear them in hot oil until golden on both sides, pour off some of the fat, then cook anchovies, red onion and garlic and deglaze with white wine. Add lemon juice, chicken stock, tomato paste, chopped olives and capers, return the chicken, sprinkle with a little more lemon, baste, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Chef's Checkpoints
- After searing, the chicken is browned but not cooked. It finishes cooking in the sauce.
- Cook the onions until they're just beginning to get soft, and keep the garlic moving so it doesn't burn.
- Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes, then finish with a little parsley.