Recipe

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Basque chicken thighs are melt-in-your-mouth pieces of juicy, tender meat in a mild tomato and pepper sauce with olives.

A comfort everyday meal in Spain, this Basque chicken is an easy recipe for any night of the week.

Easy Spanish Basque Chicken

Growing up in Spain, my grandmother made her epic Spanish chicken and rice, and this Basque chicken often, although I didn't know the latter had a name until I wanted to share the recipe on this website.

The sauce is our basic Spanish sofrito, and the olives add the perfect balance of salty, and they're a treat to eat. Sometimes I use canned tomatoes for convenience, and other times I’ll grab vine-ripened ones for an even fresher taste. Either way, this recipe always reminds me of home.

Ingredients

Chicken thighs and drumsticks are my favorite chicken pieces for this recipe. To make this dish super flavorful, I add thyme and aromatic veggies (onion, garlic, and bell peppers). Classic Basque chicken is not complete without tomatoes (canned or vine-ripened tomatoes) and Manzanilla olives. Yummy!

How to Make Basque Chicken

Check the following steps for this incredible meal, so you know how the process looks -and how easy it is!

Cook the chicken
You'll cook the seasoned chicken pieces in a large skillet for 9 minutes, without moving or flipping them the first 6 minutes of cooking. Set aside.
Make the sofrito
In the same skillet, sauté onions and bell peppers for 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, olives, and liquid (chicken broth or water).
Combine
Place the chicken back in the skillet and let it cook with the sofrito for 20-25 minutes.

top view of basque chicken pieces in a skillet

Serving Authentic Basque Chicken

Like other proteins, you can serve this with your favorite sides, but to keep this Basque chicken authentic, enjoy it as we do in Spain: with crusty bread or white rice and a simple side salad!

Basque Chicken Thighs (Grandma’s Recipe)

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 40

Basque chicken thighs are melt-in-your-mouth pieces of juicy, tender meat in a mild tomato and pepper sauce with olives.

5 from 4 votes

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Ingredients

6 chicken pieces, thighs & drumsticks
Salt and pepper, for seasoning
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 vine-ripened tomatoes, quartered or
15- ounce can diced tomatoes, with juices
½ cup chicken broth, or water
¾ cup Manzanilla olives, whole or sliced

Instructions

Prep:

Trim any excess fat from the chicken pieces and pat them dry with a paper towel. Season the chicken pieces with salt. pepper, and thyme on both sides.

Cook:

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, heat up the oil. Place the chicken thighs, skin-side-down, on the skillet and sear them for 6 minutes on the first side without moving them from their spot. Flip the chicken thighs over and sear the bottom side for 3 minutes. Remove the chicken pieces from the skillet onto a plate; you'll finish cooking them later.
Leave the fat in the skillet and add the onion, garlic, and peppers. Sauté for 4 minutes, until the onions are translucent and the peppers are soft. Add the quartered tomatoes or the can of diced tomatoes with the juice and the olives (whole or sliced) and the stock to the skillet and stir to combine.
Bring the sauce to a simmer and then place the chicken pieces in the skillet, skin-side-up, along with the juices from the plate. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and cook for 20-25 minutes, without opening the lid, until the chicken’s internal temperature reaches 175F. Remove from the heat.