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Loading...A rustic braise from the French Basque Country featuring bone-in chicken slowly simmered with sweet bell peppers, ripe tomatoes, garlic, and the region's signature Espelette pepper. The dish leans on the Basque flag colors—red and green peppers—for both visual appeal and naturally sweet, mellow flavor.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time50 mins
Total Time70 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 480 kcalCalories
- 26 gFat
- 7 gSaturated Fat
- 18 gCarbs
- 4 gFiber
- 9 gSugar
- 38 gProtein
- 720 mgSodium
- 850 mgPotassium
- 70 mgCalcium
- 3.5 mgIron
- 95 mgVitamin C
- 120 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2.4 kg total)
- 1.5 tsp fine sea salt, divided
- 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 oz Bayonne ham or prosciutto, finely diced
For the Basque Vegetable Base
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 red bell peppers, cored and cut into 1 cm strips
- 2 green bell peppers, cored and cut into 1 cm strips
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (or 1 can 400 g crushed tomatoes)
For the Braise
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 0.75 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
- 1.5 tsp Espelette pepper or sweet Spanish paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, to finish
Directions
- Pat the chicken thighs thoroughly dry and season evenly with 1 tsp salt and the black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a wide enameled Dutch oven over medium-high until shimmering, then place the chicken skin-side down and sear without moving for 6 to 7 minutes, until the skin is deep golden brown. Flip and brown the other side for 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Pour off all but 2 tbsp of fat from the pot, then add the diced Bayonne ham and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring, until lightly crisped at the edges.
- Add the sliced onions to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Add both colors of bell peppers and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes until the peppers begin to soften and char lightly at the edges. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to deepen its flavor.
- Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot; simmer for 3 minutes until the wine reduces by half. Add the cherry tomatoes, chicken stock, Espelette pepper, bay leaf, and thyme. Nestle the chicken thighs skin-side up into the vegetables, spooning some of the liquid over the top.
- Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender, and the peppers have broken down into a silky sauce. Uncover and simmer 5 more minutes to thicken slightly.
- Discard the bay leaf and thyme stems. Taste and adjust with the remaining 0.5 tsp salt. Scatter the parsley over the top and serve straight from the pot with crusty country bread, boiled potatoes, or white rice to soak up the pepper-tomato sauce.
Cook’s Notes
- Bone-in, skin-on thighs are essential here—breasts dry out and boneless thighs lack the collagen needed for the silky sauce.
- If you cannot find Espelette pepper, an equal blend of sweet paprika and a pinch of cayenne delivers a similar warm, fruity heat without overwhelming the peppers.
- The Basque flag's red and green are the visual signature, so always use both colors of bell pepper; do not substitute one for the other.
- Make the dish a day ahead—the flavors deepen overnight and any solidified fat can be lifted off easily before reheating.
- Serve with a spoonful of the pan juices spooned over the chicken to keep the skin from drying out when plating.
