Description
A flavorful Spanish Chicken in Bravas Sauce recipe featuring tender chicken thighs simmered in a smoky paprika-infused tomato sauce with olives and white beans, baked until perfectly cooked and served with fresh parsley.
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 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 white beans (cannellini or chickpeas), canned
- 90g / 1/2 cup green or black olives
- 2-3 sprigs flat leaf parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) to prepare for baking the chicken at the final stage.
- 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 over medium heat until golden but not fully cooked. Remove and set aside.
- Cook Vegetables: In the same skillet, add chopped onion, sliced red pepper, and sliced garlic. Cook on 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 develop flavors.
- Prepare Sauce: Pour in canned chopped tomatoes, water, red wine vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over higher heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Mix Beans and Olives: Stir in the white beans and olives into the sauce, ensuring they are well combined.
- Bake Chicken: Place the browned chicken thighs on top of the sauce in the skillet or transfer the mixture to an oven-safe dish. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Finish and Serve: Sprinkle chopped flat leaf parsley over the dish before serving. Serve the chicken and sauce over rice or your preferred side.
Notes
- Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for best flavor and moisture.
- For a spicier sauce, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or chili flakes with the smoked paprika.
- If you do not have fresh thyme, dried thyme works equally well—use 1 tsp dried.
- You can substitute canned white beans with chickpeas for a different texture.
- Serve over rice, crusty bread, or roasted potatoes for a complete meal.
- The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 days; add chicken just before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
