Chicken fra Diavolo is a one-pan spicy and flavorful dish that’s made with chicken thighs that are seared until crispy and finished in a garlicky tomato sauce that gets its heat from Italian long hot peppers and crushed red pepper flakes.
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
3 pounds chicken thighs trimmed of excess fat [use cut up whole chicken]
2 teaspoons dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup olive oil divided
1 28 ounce can plum tomatoes hand crushed or blender pulsed
3 ounces tomato paste
3 large long hot peppers seeded and chopped
12 cloves garlic chopped
½ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes see notes below
3 tablespoons parsley minced
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 375f and set the rack to the middle level.
Heat a large oven-safe pan to medium heat. Pat the chicken very dry with paper towels and season with oregano, salt, and pepper on all sides. Place 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the pan and sear the chicken skin side down for 6 minutes, then flip and cook for 3 more minutes. Place cooked chicken on a plate and set aside. Work in batches and do not crowd the pan while searing.
When finished cooking the chicken, turn the heat to medium-low and add the remaining olive oil and peppers. Cook for 5 minutes or until soft, then add in the garlic and cook for a few more minutes or until golden.
Taste test the peppers. If they aren’t too spicy add red pepper flakes to taste. Otherwise, omit the red pepper flakes and move on to the next step.
Next, add the tomato paste and cook for about 5 more minutes stirring frequently. Then, add the wine and turn the heat to medium-high. Using a wooden spoon scrape the bottom to dislodge all of the brown bits. After 2 minutes add the plum tomatoes and the lemon juice and stir together. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes to reduce some of the liquid from the tomatoes.
Place the chicken thighs into the pan skin side up and bake in the oven until cooked through. It should take about 30 minutes for the chicken thighs to reach 175f. Use a meat thermometer to make sure they are at least 175f.
Remove the chicken once fully cooked and taste the sauce. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and mix in the parsley. Serve with grated cheese and crusty bread to mop up all of the sauce.
Notes:
Chicken thighs should be cooked to at least 175f due to dark meat having more connective tissue that needs to break down. The exact cooking time will vary, so use an instant-read thermometer for precision.
Long hots are sometimes very spicy but occasionally have almost zero heat. For this reason, adjust hot red pepper flakes to taste.
Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Reheat in the oven at 350f until warmed through.
