By Melissa Clark
- Total Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- 5(6,960)
- Notes
- Read community notes
There’s nothing wrong with a dinner of pan-seared chicken seasoned with salt and pepper. But there’s everything right about the same chicken when you add anchovies, capers, garlic and plenty of lemon to the pan. What was once timid and a little dull turns vibrant, tangy and impossible to stop eating. And the only real extra work is chopping the garlic and a little parsley for garnish. In this dish, the cut of chicken is less important than the pungent pan sauce. Most people will probably want to use the workhorse of all poultry dinners, the boneless, skinless breasts. But the thighs cook nearly as quickly, and have a greater margin of error in terms of doneness. Overcook your breasts by even a minute, and you’ll get dry, tough meat. Thighs are more forgiving. However, if your family insists on white meat, you can substitute breasts and subtract about 3 minutes from the cooking time. There is no need to mention the anchovies until after people have complimented you on the meal.
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- 1¼pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (4 to 5 thighs)
- 1teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 6garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 5anchovy fillets
- 2tablespoons drained capers, patted dry
- 1large pinch chile flakes
- 1lemon, halved
- Fresh chopped parsley, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
407 calories; 23 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 45 grams protein; 607 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and let rest while you prepare the anchovy-garlic oil. Mince one of the garlic cloves and set it aside for later. In a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the 5 smashed whole garlic cloves, the anchovies, capers and chile. Let cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the anchovies, until the garlic browns around the edges and the anchovies dissolve, 3 to 5 minutes.
Step
2
Add the chicken thighs and cook until nicely browned on one side, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip the thighs, place the pan in the oven and cook another 5 to 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
Step
3
When chicken is done, transfer thighs to a plate (be careful, as the pan handle will be hot). Place skillet back on the heat and add minced garlic and the juice of one lemon half. Cook for about 30 seconds, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Return chicken to the pan and cook it in the sauce for another 15 to 30 seconds.
Step
4
Transfer everything to a serving platter. Squeeze the remaining lemon half over the chicken and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve.
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6,960
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Cooking Notes
LH
For those who, like me, use anchovy paste from the tube rather than whole fillet anchovies, note that according to most sources one anchovy fillet is the equivalent of 1/2 teaspoon of anchovy paste.
Jessica
I make this all the time, too, and I've shared the recipe with lots of people. I use bone-in, skin-on thighs (because chicken skin is the best part of a chicken), and I brown the chicken a bit first before adding the anchovies, garlic, etc. so nothing burns. Perfect weeknight meal.
JD
I've made this many times now, and it is always a hit. I put capers in after the anchovies dissolve (Step 1) so they don't get too over cooked. Also I find that the juice of a whole lemon (Step 3) is necessary.
Ken Wightman
I'm going to make this tomorrow night. It sounds great. I'm beginning to think Ms. Clark is onto something when she goes on and on about the magic of anchovies. I've slipped them into a number of meals and they seem to add sparkle without added a "fishy" taste. (My wife's big fear.)
I must tell you that your Cooking site is wonderful. Well laid out, great videos (short but informative) and lots of contagious enthusiasm. Nice work. You can all take a bow.
Cheers!
nutsnbolts
There wasn't enough sauce for my taste so I added vermouth to the pan along with a little more lemon juice. Probably could have used chicken broth, but the vermouth was more interesting.
Stephanie
Brown the thighs first, remove from pan. THEN make the sauce. Cook the anchovies and garlic together on a low heat to control the garlic not getting over cooked. Then add capers as suggested by another reader. I add at least a half to 3/4 c white wine at the end when thighs have been removed from the sauce along with more lemon. simmer to reduce a bit and thicken. the more sauce the merrier! finally a T of butter.
Ray
Your assertion is overblown.
Guests generally bear the responsibility of informing their hosts about life threatening allergies.
Allergies to shellfish are fairly common, as food allergies go. Anchovies, though, are a fin fish, not a shellfish. They do not contain chitin, which is the allergen present in shellfish. Fin fish allergies are rare. People frequently believe anchovies are shellfish, and also commonly believe they don't like them due to fishy smell. She's saying try them.
3rd time
Last night, I briefly steamed thickly sliced potatoes and added them when the chicken went into the oven. Before deglazing the pan, I transferred the potatoes to a platter, placing the chicken on top, and returned to the oven. I poured the deglazed pan sauce over all and served with the parsley. (This eliminated the step of adding the chicken back to the pan.) The spuds were an easy way to round out the menu and take advantage of all the delicious pan sauces this recipe makes.
Christine
I have tried both ways and the oven finish really adds more depth to the flavor
Oksen
Just wow. Truly lives up to the hype!
I also skipped the whole oven thing. Used thighs, which I think pan fry well without drying out. Another lazy shortcut I took was putting in white wine instead of lemon. Turned out plate-licking good. I'm literally making it again tonight, though we just had it last night. Melissa is my girl.
Sue Llewellyn
Splendid recipe, though there's no real need for the preheated-oven bit, which seems an entirely unwarranted complication. Instead, why not turn and cook chicken on other side in the pan, then transfer to plate and proceed with step 3?
mjb
Love this dish. Fast, easy and delicious. Its too hot to put the oven on, so, I made it entirely on top of the stove. I cooked for about 3-5 minutes per side and used a lid on my saute pan to keep the splatter at bay. On the plus side, I once I put everything on a platter, I used the light coating of oil remaining in the pan to saute some broccoli. Will be making this dish over and over again. Don't forget the bread!! Its essential to mop up the sauce.
Charles Michener
I've cooked this dish for years - it's a good one. I suggest several modifications. Tinned anchovies can taste fishy; if using them instead of jarred ones, rinse them gently first. I brown the chicken in the anchovy/oil/red pepper mixture, then add the smashed garlic (this way you won't burn the garlic).To keep the chicken moist, I pan roast it with a little chicken stock on the stovetop. I perk it up at the end with lemon zest (not juice), finely minced capers, garlic and parsley.
Staccato
Great served over spinach.
Sue Llewellyn
Next time try jarred anchovies in olive oil--and definitely "Italian" flat-leaf parsley--for an even higher flavor profile.
Joe H
Melissa, I love you, and this recipe is awesome, but...1. Five anchovy fillets? Really? Every can in the store has six. What do I do with one lonely fillet? I used all six in my can, which was fine, but, come on, don't put an odd number in the recipe. A quarter-cup of oil? No. Too much. The Times has a consistent issue of over-using oil. The "pan sauce" was tasty, but too oily. Maybe four tablespoons, but a quarter-cup resulted in a lot of flavor wiped out of the pan.But it was tasty!
JG
Just made this for the first time. Sauted some baby bok choy with garlic and lemon as a side. Loved it and done in less than 1/2 hr.
JK
I used chicken breasts because that’s what I had. Moist and flavor is delicious. Served over orzo.
Ty Ty
I’ve cooked this maybe 25 times. It’s perfect, it’s fast, it’s insanely delicious. My only addition is to move some of the fried bits way over to the side of the pan or even out, so the chicken gets a better sear when it hits the pan.
George Paul
A go to for me.Made it a dozen of times Perfect just as written. Thanks Melissa
Kawalabear
When I make this again, I'll add the chicken thighs to the pan right after I add the garlic/anchovies/capers. Waiting for the garlic to brown meant that by the time the chicken was properly cooked, the garlic had turned to charcoal.
brynne b
This needs chicken broth and wine or something to make the sauce more saucy
Island Girl
Watching Melissa's video, reminded me to always wrap the handle of your skillet or pan with aluminum foil before you place it into the oven. It will remind you that the handle is hot and you will avoid burns when you take it out of the oven. Melissa's recipes are the best!!!
Nino Rodriguez
Loved this dish and it was so easy I won't need a recipe next time. While prepping, I stuck some broccoli in the oven with olive oil and lemon, and while the chicken baked, I prepared couscous. It really was only 25 minutes start to finish.
Alan in Malt
I like to use colatura oil. How much should I use?
Groovdoc
Very lovely. Do again for sure. A few small tweaks worth repeating: added some Aleppo pepper with the chili flakes; doubled the garlic; added finely minced lemon zest to the sauce with the minced garlic; added a splash of vermouth to the sauce; added a small pat of butter at the very end. Used juice from a whole lemon and will probably dial that back the next time.
Adrienne
Loved this dish. I doubled the sauce and all of its ingredients. I precooked pappardelle pasta and added it to the finished sauce to create a lemony pasta, chicken dish with fresh ground pepper. Served it with roasted asparagus and simple arugula salad.
Marah
This is a very forgiving recipe, and very tasty.
Kat
Gorgeous. Measure the garlic and chili flakes with your heart and keep everything else the same. A good cast iron skillet is invaluable. I served the chicken on Jasmine rice and paired with a martini. Absolutely stunning meal and super easy!
Kathy
Ahh, I wished I loved it more but found that I added extra lemon plus zest, wine and butter for more sauce...so I ended up making a piccata with anchovies.
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