These tender and flavorful chicken thighs, seasoned with a blend of spices and then braised with a medley of olives, (Spanish, Castelvetrano and Kalamata), caramelized shallots, and tomatoes is a dish you’ll want to add to your rotation! It’s bursting with bold Mediterranean flavors! The chicken thighs are seared to golden perfection, locking in their natural juices, then simmered in a rich, aromatic sauce.
The sauce is infused with the zesty flavors of paprika, cumin, and oregano. Shallots provide a delicate sweetness, while the tomatoes break down into a luscious base, balancing the briny, tangy flavors of three varieties of olives—green, black, and kalamata.
As the dish braises, the flavors meld beautifully, creating tender, flavorful chicken and a sauce perfect for spooning over crusty bread, rice, or couscous. This dish is hearty yet elegant, offering a harmonious blend of savory, tangy, and subtly spiced notes.
Tomato Olive Chicken Thighs with Mediterranean Spice Medley
Ingredients
- 6 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp. olive oil or avocado oil
- 3 tbsp. ground cumin
- 2 tbsp. ground oregano
- 2 tbsp. Spanish paprika
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. salt (we use Himalayan pink salt)
- 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives (reserve some of the brine)
- 1/2 cup Spanish olives (reserve some of the brine)
- 1/2 cup Castelvetrano olives (reserve some of the brine)
- 1 1/2 lbs. cherry tomatoes (we used yellow and red for color)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 ℉. Blend all of the spices (cumin, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper together in a small bowl).
- Pat dry the chicken using a paper towel and season with spice blend on top and bottom.
- Heat oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high. Place the chicken skin-side down in the skillet and sear for 7 to 9 minutes, until crispy, golden and the skin easily releases from the bottom of the skillet. Flip the chicken thighs and continue cooking for 5 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer the seared chicken to a baking dish, skin side up. Set aside.
- Add the shallots, decrease the heat to medium. Cook, stirring frequently, until translucent and soft, and beginning to caramelize.
- Add 1/2 cup of the combined olive brine juices to the skillet and scrape to loosen the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add all of the olives and saute for about 5 minutes. Then, add the tomatoes, cover, and continue to cook for another 4-5 minutes.
- Transfer the shallot, olive and tomato mixture and all of the juices on top of the chicken thighs in the baking dish. Bake, uncovered for about 35 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 400 ℉ and continue to bake for another 15 minutes, or until the thighs are fully cooked.
- Serve chicken onto plates and spoon a healthy amount of the tomato, olive and shallot mixture over each. Distribute any remaining evenly over each serving.
