Rice and Skillet Chicken With Anchovies and Olives

Rice and Skillet Chicken With Anchovies and Olives

YIELD : 4 servings

TIME : 60 minutes

This one-container feast is propelled by the kinds of pasta con le sarde, an exemplary Sicilian dish made with sardines and fennel. Anchovies replace sardines here, for a more confident, punchy flavor. The brininess of the anchovies and olives is balanced by the pleasantness of the sautéed fennel, squeezed orange and brilliant raisins, which full up perfectly as they cook. Present with a Sicilian white wine and just dressed arugula.

INGREDIENTS 

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 to 6 thighs)

 Kosher salt and black pepper

1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed, cored and diced, plus more fennel fronds, for serving

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

¼ cup roughly chopped anchovy fillets

5 garlic cloves, minced

¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste

1 tablespoon tomato paste

¾ cup dry white wine, such as pinot grigio

1 cup long-grain white rice

¾ cup pitted Castelvetrano or other green olives, halved lengthwise

⅓ cup raisins, preferably golden

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 medium navel orange, 1/2 juiced and 1/2 thinly sliced.  

Preparations 

STEP 1

Heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a 12-inch skillet with a lid, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and season them with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, place the thighs in the skillet, skin-side down. Cook, undisturbed, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown and the chicken releases easily from the pan. You may need to raise the heat slightly during the last few minutes if the skin isn’t browned enough.

STEP 2

Flip the chicken thighs and cook for 3 minutes on the other side, then transfer to a plate and set aside.

STEP 3

Discard all but about 3 tablespoons fat from the skillet. Add the diced fennel, onion and oregano, and cook over medium for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender. Add the anchovies, garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant.

STEP 4

Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until it begins to caramelize and turn rusty brown in color. Add the wine and cook, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until the liquid has almost completely evaporated.

STEP 5

Add the rice, olives and raisins to the skillet and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, orange juice and a few grinds of black pepper, and bring to a simmer.

STEP 6

Place the chicken thighs on top, skin-side up, nestling them into the liquid so only the skin is above the surface. Cut the orange slices into half-moons and arrange them around the chicken. Drizzle the orange slices with olive oil.

STEP 7

Cover and bake for 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. (If you’d like to crisp the chicken skin, pop the pan under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes.)

STEP 8

Top with fennel fronds, more red-pepper flakes and a sprinkle of salt. Serve hot.