Chicken puttanesca is a simple red sauce made with bold ingredients. It features salty anchovies, briny capers, garlic, red pepper flakes, and olives. Use canned whole tomatoes for the base of the sauce and tomato paste to add richness. We love to serve this with crispy, skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (omg, the crunch from that skin is everything!). It’s a healthy, Whole30, gluten-free dinner option that you’ll feel good serving and eating!
But first, what is puttanesca sauce? Puttanesca refers to an Italian tomato sauce made with anchovies, garlic, capers, and olives. It is said to be infamous for its strong, pungent aroma that would draw folks in. The history of puttanesca sauce and its origins are fascinating; check out this article for more info regarding why puttanesca is synonymous with “lady of the night!”
Make a big batch any night of the week, then enjoy the leftovers all week long. We certainly did!
Ingredients For Chicken Puttanesca
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Capers
- Garlic
- Anchovy fillets
- Black or green olives
- Canned whole tomatoes
- Tomato paste
- Red pepper flakes
- Parsley
- Oregano
This is such a hearty meal, but features really clean ingredients you’ll feel good about eating. We love to make this when we’re following Whole30. It’s healthy, but deceptively so!
How To Make Chicken Puttanesca At Home
- Season the chicken thighs. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel, then season lightly on both sides with Kosher salt and black pepper.
- Crisp the chicken skin. Heat ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add chicken thighs skin side down. Cook until golden brown and crispy (the chicken should very easily pull away from the pan), about 5-7 minutes.
- Flip the chicken. Use tongs to carefully flip the chicken thighs over, then cook an additional 4-5 minutes, or until browned on the second side. Transfer chicken to a plate.
- Flavor the sauce. To the same pan, add 6 cloves thinly sliced garlic, 4 anchovy fillets, 2 Tbsp capers, and ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, until garlic is lightly browned and anchovies have dissolved into the sauce, about 2 minutes.
- Add tomatoes. Stir in 1 Tbsp tomato paste, breaking up with a spatula until dissolved, then pour in whole tomatoes. Crush with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula, breaking them up into smaller pieces. Add ½ cup water and 1 cup olives, then stir to combine.
- Finish cooking chicken. Return the chicken thighs to the skillet, skin side up. Reduce the heat to a simmer, then cook until chicken registers an internal temperature of 165F and the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.
- Garnish and serve. Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and fresh basil, then serve immediately.
We recommend a Thermapen MK4 to check for doneness on all meats!
Best Side Dishes
These are our go-to side dishes for serving with cozy, bold entrées, and work particularly well with the briny flavors of the puttanesca sauce:
- Sicilian cauliflower
- Creamy mashed potatoes: creamy mashed potatoes with garlic and herbs, red skin mashed potatoes, or mashed potatoes with sour cream
- Roasted broccoli or broccolini
If you’re looking for more of a side salad, we make our house salad all the time — it goes with everything! And if you’re not following Whole30, definitely grab a crusty baguette or make some rice to soak up the flavorful sauce.
FAQs About Puttanesca
- Can I use boneless thighs? Yes! You can use any cut of chicken you like. Bone-in drumsticks and boneless breasts will take roughly the same amount of time to cook. For bone-in breasts, add ~5 minutes. For boneless thighs, check for doneness 5 minutes sooner.
- Is there a strong anchovy taste in puttanesca? Not gonna lie, this is a salty, briny sauce! There’s a lot of anchovies, capers, and olives (which we absolutely adore), but if you are hesitant about the saltiness, cut back by half on both the anchovies and the olives. For what it’s worth, the anchovies completely dissolve in the sauce — you won’t be biting into a piece of fish!
- Can I use fresh tomatoes? Either will work. We love canned tomatoes for the convenience and shelf life — we always have them on hand, meaning we can make this year round!
- I want to serve this as pasta puttanesca. How do I do that? Leave out the chicken entirely, then make the sauce according to instructions and serve over your favorite long, thin noodles!
- Is this gravy? No! Gravy refers to Italian red sauces (or ragu) made with meat. This is just a red sauce.
This dish is for you if you love salty, briny anchovies and capers. Don’t worry, the acidity from the tomatoes helps to cut the strong flavor, but it’s the crispy chicken skin that brings it all together! Hearty, yet not too heavy. You’ll enjoy this year round, no matter the season.
If you make this Chicken Puttanesca recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
For more pasta sauce recipes, check out our lamb ragu or our simple, flavorful pork sugo!
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For more weeknight chicken recipes, check out the following:
- Chicken Provencal
- Weeknight Chicken Milanese with Fennel Salad
- Crispy Grilled Chicken Wings
- Pecan Crusted Chicken
- Sheet Pan Chicken Meatballs with Goat Cheese
Chicken Puttanesca Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ – 2 lb chicken thighs bone in, skin on
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 6 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 2 Tbsp capers
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 28 oz can of whole tomatoes
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup black or green olives
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley for serving
- 2 Tbsp basil for serving
- Flaky sea salt for serving
Instructions
- Season the chicken thighs. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel, then season lightly on both sides with 1 tsp Kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper.
- Crisp the chicken skin. Heat ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add chicken thighs skin side down. Cook until golden brown and crispy (the chicken should very easily pull away from the pan), about 5-7 minutes.
- Flip the chicken. Use tongs to carefully flip the chicken thighs over, then cook an additional 4-5 minutes, or until browned on the second side. Transfer chicken to a plate.
- Flavor the sauce. To the same pan, add 6 cloves thinly sliced garlic, 4 anchovy fillets, 2 Tbsp capers, and ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, until garlic is lightly browned and anchovies have dissolved into the sauce, about 2 minutes.
- Add tomatoes. Stir in 1 Tbsp tomato paste, breaking up with a spatula until dissolved, then pour in whole tomatoes. Crush with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula, breaking them up into smaller pieces. Add ½ cup water and 1 cup olives, then stir to combine.
- Finish cooking chicken. Return the chicken thighs to the skillet, skin side up. Reduce the heat to a simmer, then cook until chicken registers an internal temperature of 165F and the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.
- Garnish and serve. Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and fresh basil, then serve immediately.
Let us know your thoughts!