Pioneer Woman Chicken with Olives

Pioneer Woman chicken with olives is a tender, creamy braised chicken dish with green olives, juicy tomatoes and white wine that comes together in 1 hour 45 minutes. This oven-braised chicken and pasta dinner fits Sunday supper, cozy fall nights, holiday gatherings and easy weeknight family dinners.

Brown the chicken skin-side down until it turns deep golden before anything else goes in the pan. Skip that and the skin stays pale and rubbery, and the sauce loses the roasted flavor it builds from those browned bits.

Squeezing the juice out of the canned tomatoes before chopping them keeps the sauce from turning thin and watery. Adding the whole olives and cream only after the first 45 minutes in the oven lets the sauce thicken gently without splitting.

Pioneer Woman Chicken with Olives

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DinnerCuisine: American, ItalianDifficulty: Medium

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Calories

620

kcal

Chicken thighs and legs braise under a lid until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender. A splash of cream then turns the wine and tomato juices into a silky sauce for spooning over linguine.

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp. Butter
  

• 4 tbsp. Olive Oil
  

• 6 pieces Chicken (I Used Thighs And Legs) With Skin
  

• 1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
  

• 5 cloves Garlic, Minced
  

• 2 whole Green Bell Peppers, Seeded And Chopped Into Large Pieces
  

• 1 whole (28 Oz. Size) Whole Tomatoes, Completely Drained And Juice Squeezed Out, Chopped
  

• 1 c. White Wine (or Low Sodium Chicken Broth)
  

• Salt
  

• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  

• 1/4 c. Heavy Cream
  

• 1 c. Whole Green Olives
  

• 12 oz. weight Linguine, Cooked Al Dente And Drained
  

Directions

• Preheat and brown chicken: Preheat the oven to 375°F, then melt 4 tbsp butter with 4 tbsp olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 6 pieces of chicken and brown both sides, then move them to a clean plate.
• Cook the vegetables: Reduce the heat to medium and add 1 diced medium onion, 5 minced garlic cloves and 2 chopped green bell peppers to the pan. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the drained, chopped tomatoes and cook for a minute or two.
• Season and add wine: Season the pan with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then pour in 1 cup white wine or low sodium chicken broth. Stir well, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom.
• Braise in the oven: Nestle the chicken back into the pan, cover with the lid and slide it into the oven. Let it braise for 45 minutes.
• Add olives and cream: Take the pan out, remove the lid and add 1 cup whole green olives. Drizzle 1/4 cup heavy cream evenly over the top, then put the lid back on and shake the pan to stir it in.
• Thicken the sauce: Return the covered pan to the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. The sauce will thicken slightly, so keep the lid on until you are ready to serve.
• Cook the pasta: While the chicken finishes, cook 12 oz linguine until al dente, then drain it. Pile it into a large serving bowl or onto a platter.
• Assemble and serve: Arrange the chicken pieces on top of the pasta, then pour every last bit of sauce over everything. Sprinkle with minced fresh parsley and Parmesan if you like.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, OXO 12-inch locking tongs, Partanna Sicilian extra virgin olive oil, 1 liter. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use boneless chicken instead of thighs and legs?

Yes, but bone-in, skin-on pieces give the best flavor and stay juicier through the long braise. If you use boneless thighs, cut the oven time by about 15 minutes so they don't dry out.

How do I store leftover chicken with olives?

Keep the chicken and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store the pasta separately so it doesn't soak up all the sauce, and reheat gently on the stovetop.

Can I make this ahead of time?

You can braise the chicken through the first 45 minutes, cool it and refrigerate it overnight. Then add the olives and cream the next day and finish it in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

What if I don't have an ovenproof skillet?

Brown everything in a regular skillet, then move it all into a Dutch oven or a covered roasting pan before it goes into the oven. A Dutch oven works especially well because it holds steady heat.

What is the most common mistake with this recipe?

Adding the tomatoes without draining and squeezing them first is the usual one, because the extra juice makes the sauce thin. Draining them well keeps the sauce rich and spoonable.