Skillet Chicken With Peppers and Tomatoes

By Yewande Komolafe

Updated October 10, 2023

  • A cast-iron skillet holds bronzed chicken thighs with peppers and tomatoes. A bowl of rice and small bowl of chopped herbs for garnishing are nearby.
    Kelly Marshall for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
40 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(1,296)
Comments
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This one-pan dinner is coated in a sauce anchored by onion and garlic and a summery mix of bell peppers. A splash of sherry vinegar and squeeze of honey balance the mild flavors of the peppers with a little acidity and sweetness, while cherry tomatoes simmered into the sauce at the end add bright, tangy pops to the meal. A shower of fresh herbs is optional, but go with basil if you’d like a more assertive aroma. Serve everything over steamed rice for soaking up the sauce or with crusty bread for dipping.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 Servings

  • 2 pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (4 to 8 thighs)

  • Salt

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

  • 1 small onion, diced

  • 2 medium bell peppers (any color or a mix of colors), diced

  • 5 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

  • ½ to ¾ teaspoon red-pepper flakes

  • ¼ cup sherry vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes

  • ¼ cup chopped fresh basil or parsley (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

15 grams carbs; 284 milligrams cholesterol; 763 calories; 25 grams monounsaturated fat; 11 grams polyunsaturated fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 55 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 1131 milligrams sodium; 50 grams protein; 10 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pat the chicken dry and season generously with salt.

  2. Step 2

    Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently until just starting to soften, 2 minutes. Add the peppers and cook until just beginning to soften, 1 minute. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and season lightly with salt. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and the onions are beginning to brown slightly, 2 minutes. Move the cooked vegetables to a plate.

  3. Step 3

    Add 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet. Place the chicken skin-side down and sear without moving until the skin is golden brown, 6 to 10 minutes. Turn and cook the other side until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Pour out all but 1 tablespoon fat from the pan.

  4. Step 4

    Add ½ cup water to the skillet and stir and scrape to loosen any stuck bits. Stir in the sherry vinegar and honey. Cover with a lid or foil, turn the heat down to medium-low and cook until the meat is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Uncover, raise the heat to medium-high and cook until the sauce is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until they begin to soften and burst, 3 to 4 minutes, smashing open if needed. Return the onion-pepper mixture to the skillet, stir to coat in the pan sauce and cook, uncovered, until warmed through. Taste and add more salt if needed and remove from heat. Drizzle more olive oil over the top and garnish with a shower of basil or parsley, if using.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,296 user ratings
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Comments

chatulim9

i always double the prep time. i don't have a staff to help me prepare my meals. And i'm not a professional chef, so i am slower. The recipes work; the prep time is always off.

Susan Owensby Daguzan

To Brenda in Montana: I'm a displaced Texan - I live in Paris. Here, they use a "cocotte" - what we would call a "Dutch oven" - for everything. They are unbearably heavy (and fairly pricey, however they do last forever: "buy better, buy less" as they say), BUT - fairly mess-free: the sides are high, reducing much of the splatter. Any time I see "skillet" in a recipe, that's what I use.

Jeremy

Prepared exactly as written, except with boneless, skinless thighs, and it was delicious. Bright and fresh, but warm. I would have used maybe 1/4 cup of water to deglaze instead of a half cup, just to cut down reducing time. Nice surprise.

V Thorson

Loved this dish exactly as written. Only because I had 3 fresh ears of corn from the garden did I cut the corn from the cobs to add in with the tomatoes. It added a great pop if color and flavor.

Deborah Lockridge

I made this very close to the recipe and I thought it was good. Just a few small tweaks; added fresh ground pepper with the salt when I seasoned the chicken; used a little broth and sherry for deglazing the pan, and used a little less vinegar. It took longer to cook because I had very large thighs. I also stirred in most of the basil at the end instead of just on top.

Ivy

This recipe as followed is good, not great. This needs more flavor to bring it home, as others have noted. Garlic and herbs, and a splash of white wine would do the trick. The skin of the chicken thighs was bland and rubbery. I would cook the chicken separately to get a crispy crust and add back at the end.

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