Spanish Chicken In Bravas Sauce Recipe

I serve Spanish Chicken Thighs simmered in a paprika scented, tangy tomato sauce with white beans and olives, and the way the briny olives and creamy beans mingle with the tomato will make you want to read on.

I love making Spanish Chicken in Bravas Sauce because it’s bold and unapologetic. I sear bone in chicken thighs, dust them with smoked paprika, and let the sauce do the rest while it gets deep and tangy.

It’s got that rustic confidence you’d expect from Catalan Chicken, but plated up like a messy Spanish Bowl for dinner. I swear every time i serve it people stop talking and eat, sometimes twice.

No fancy fuss just bright heat, smoky notes and enough acidity to keep it interesting. If you want something that feels like a weekend feast any week, this is it.

Ingredients

• Chicken thighs: Rich in protein and iron, crispy skin adds flavor, hefty and satisfying.
• Smoked paprika: Smoky, sweet spice, low calories, adds depth and warm color.
• Crushed tomatoes: Provide vitamin C and lycopene, bright acidity balances richer flavors.
• White beans: Creamy, add fiber and plant protein, stretch the meal affordably.
• Olives: Salty, briny, offer monounsaturated fats and a savory tang.
• Garlic and onion: Build sweet and savory backbone, supply prebiotic fiber and aroma.
• Olive oil: Healthy fat for browning, carries flavors, keeps chicken moist.
• Lemon: Brightens with acidity, a splash lifts the whole dish.
• Bay leaf: Subtle herbal note, not eaten, gentle warmth and complexity.

Ingredient Quantities

• 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lb / 900 g)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika (pimenton)
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne or hot paprika, optional if you like heat
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup / 150 g)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 can (14 oz / 400 g) crushed tomatoes or passata
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (120 ml), optional
• 1 cup chicken stock (240 ml)
• 1 tsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 can (15 oz / 400 g) cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup pitted olives (about 75 g), Kalamata or Manzanilla
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges for serving, optional

How to Make this

1. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season all over with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, sweet paprika and cayenne if you want heat; let them sit while you heat the pan.

2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the thighs skin-side down, dont crowd the pan, and brown until the skin is deep golden and much of the fat has rendered, about 6 to 8 minutes. Flip and brown the other side 3 to 4 minutes then remove to a plate.

3. Lower heat to medium and add the chopped onion to the same pan. Sauté until soft and starting to color, about 5 to 7 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Add the garlic and cook 30 to 60 seconds.

4. Stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste and cook 1 to 2 minutes more to deepen the flavor. If using, pour in 1/2 cup white wine to deglaze the pan and let it reduce by half, scraping up any stuck bits.

5. Add the crushed tomatoes, 1 cup chicken stock, 1 tsp sherry or red wine vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, 1 bay leaf and 1 tsp dried oregano. Season lightly with salt and pepper and stir to combine.

6. Nestle the browned chicken back into the sauce skin-side up. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, cover partially and simmer gently till the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. If sauce is too thin simmer uncovered a bit, if too thick add a splash more stock.

7. Add the drained cannellini beans and 1/2 cup pitted olives in the last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking just to heat them through and meld flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper or a splash more vinegar if it needs brightness.

8. Remove the bay leaf, stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley and let the dish rest a few minutes. If you want crisp skin, pop the skillet briefly under a hot broiler for 2 to 3 minutes but watch it closely.

9. Serve the Spanish chicken and bravas sauce over rice with a simple salad and lemon wedges on the side for squeezing. Enjoy, its even better the next day.

Equipment Needed

1. Large ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven (for browning the thighs and simmering the sauce)
2. Tongs for flipping and handling hot chicken
3. Chef’s knife and cutting board for onions, garlic and parsley
4. Measuring spoons and 1 cup measuring cup for oil, stock, wine and spices
5. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula to scrape up browned bits and stir
6. Can opener and colander to open and drain the beans and tomatoes
7. Plate or shallow dish plus paper towels to rest and pat the chicken dry
8. Lid or a sheet of foil to partially cover the pot, plus oven mitts for finishing under the broiler

FAQ

Spanish Chicken In Bravas Sauce Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Bone in skin on chicken thighs: swap for boneless skinless thighs or chicken breasts, boneless thighs cook faster so cut braise time by about 10 minutes and they stay juicy, breasts will cook quicker and can dry out so watch them closely.
• Smoked paprika: if you dont have pimenton use sweet paprika plus a pinch of cumin and a few drops of liquid smoke or a small chopped chipotle in adobo to add smokiness, smoked salt also works.
• Dry white wine: replace with extra chicken stock plus 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or lemon juice for acidity, or use non alcoholic white wine if you want the flavor without alcohol.
• Cannellini beans: swap for chickpeas or butter beans, both hold up well in the sauce, canned ones only need draining and rinsing.

Pro Tips

1. Pat the thighs super dry and salt them early, let them sit while the pan heats. When you brown them, press lightly so the skin makes even contact and render the fat slowly, dont crowd the pan or you wont get a good crust.

2. Brown the tomato paste well until it darkens a bit, that little caramelization is flavor gold. Deglaze with wine or stock and scrape every browned bit, it turns the sauce from good to great.

3. Add the beans and olives only at the end so the beans keep their shape and the olives dont get too soft. Taste for salt before adding more since the olives bring a lot of saltiness.

4. If the sauce seems flat add a small splash of vinegar and a pinch of sugar to wake it up, if its too thin simmer uncovered to reduce or add a splash more stock if too thick. Let it rest a few minutes before serving and if you want crisp skin, finish briefly under the broiler but watch it the whole time.

Spanish Chicken In Bravas Sauce Recipe

Recipe by Noel Matthews

0.0 from 0 votes

I serve Spanish Chicken Thighs simmered in a paprika scented, tangy tomato sauce with white beans and olives, and the way the briny olives and creamy beans mingle with the tomato will make you want to read on.

Pin

Servings

6

servings

Calories

394

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven (for browning the thighs and simmering the sauce)
2. Tongs for flipping and handling hot chicken
3. Chef’s knife and cutting board for onions, garlic and parsley
4. Measuring spoons and 1 cup measuring cup for oil, stock, wine and spices
5. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula to scrape up browned bits and stir
6. Can opener and colander to open and drain the beans and tomatoes
7. Plate or shallow dish plus paper towels to rest and pat the chicken dry
8. Lid or a sheet of foil to partially cover the pot, plus oven mitts for finishing under the broiler

Ingredients

• 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lb / 900 g)

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

• 1 tbsp smoked paprika (pimenton)

• 1 tsp sweet paprika

• 1/4 tsp cayenne or hot paprika, optional if you like heat

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup / 150 g)

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 can (14 oz / 400 g) crushed tomatoes or passata

• 1/2 cup dry white wine (120 ml), optional

• 1 cup chicken stock (240 ml)

• 1 tsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 can (15 oz / 400 g) cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed

• 1/2 cup pitted olives (about 75 g), Kalamata or Manzanilla

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

• 1 lemon, cut into wedges for serving, optional

Directions

• Pat the chicken thighs dry and season all over with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, sweet paprika and cayenne if you want heat; let them sit while you heat the pan.
• Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the thighs skin-side down, dont crowd the pan, and brown until the skin is deep golden and much of the fat has rendered, about 6 to 8 minutes. Flip and brown the other side 3 to 4 minutes then remove to a plate.
• Lower heat to medium and add the chopped onion to the same pan. Sauté until soft and starting to color, about 5 to 7 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Add the garlic and cook 30 to 60 seconds.
• Stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste and cook 1 to 2 minutes more to deepen the flavor. If using, pour in 1/2 cup white wine to deglaze the pan and let it reduce by half, scraping up any stuck bits.
• Add the crushed tomatoes, 1 cup chicken stock, 1 tsp sherry or red wine vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, 1 bay leaf and 1 tsp dried oregano. Season lightly with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
• Nestle the browned chicken back into the sauce skin-side up. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, cover partially and simmer gently till the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. If sauce is too thin simmer uncovered a bit, if too thick add a splash more stock.
• Add the drained cannellini beans and 1/2 cup pitted olives in the last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking just to heat them through and meld flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper or a splash more vinegar if it needs brightness.
• Remove the bay leaf, stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley and let the dish rest a few minutes. If you want crisp skin, pop the skillet briefly under a hot broiler for 2 to 3 minutes but watch it closely.
• Serve the Spanish chicken and bravas sauce over rice with a simple salad and lemon wedges on the side for squeezing. Enjoy, its even better the next day.

Notes

• Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 360g
• Total number of serves: 6
• Calories: 394kcal
• Fat: 25.1g
• Saturated Fat: 7.5g
• Trans Fat: 0.3g
• Polyunsaturated: 2.5g
• Monounsaturated: 13.3g
• Cholesterol: 117mg
• Sodium: 500mg
• Potassium: 700mg
• Carbohydrates: 11.7g
• Fiber: 3.3g
• Sugar: 1.7g
• Protein: 34.3g
• Vitamin A: 600IU
• Vitamin C: 10mg
• Calcium: 67mg
• Iron: 2mg