25 minutes
A savory chicken dish with rich flavors from anchovies, garlic, capers, and a zesty lemon sauce.
teaspoons
to taste
Garlic Clove, smashed and peeled
each
each
Capers, drained and patted dry
tablespoons
large pinch
Lemon, halved
each
Fresh Chopped Parsley
tablespoons
1. Season Chicken Thighs
Season the chicken thighs with coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Let them sit while you prepare the oil.
2. Mince Garlic
Mince one garlic clove and set it aside for later use.
3. Heat Oil and Cook Mixture
Heat a large, ovenproof skillet over medium heat and add the extra-virgin olive oil, letting it warm up until it’s hot but not smoking. Add the five smashed garlic cloves, anchovy fillets, capers, and a large pinch of chile flakes. Stir the mixture frequently, allowing the anchovies to dissolve and the garlic to brown slightly around the edges, which releases a deep umami flavor into the oil. This step usually takes about 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Cook Chicken Thighs
Add the chicken thighs to the skillet. Cook them for about 5 to 7 minutes on each side until they are golden brown.
5. Bake Chicken
Transfer the skillet to a preheated oven and let the chicken bake for 5 to 10 minutes, just until it’s cooked through and tender.
6. Prepare Sauce
While the chicken is baking, take the minced garlic you set aside earlier and heat it in the same skillet along with the juice of half a lemon. Cook for about 30 seconds, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet to create a flavorful sauce.
7. Finish Chicken
When the chicken is done, return it to the skillet and let it cook with the sauce for another 15 to 30 seconds, allowing the flavors to meld together.
8. Serve Chicken
Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Squeeze the juice from the remaining lemon half over the chicken and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Mediterranean Chicken . Incorporate olives and sun-dried tomatoes, maintaining lemon and capers. Chicken Puttanesca . Introduce tomatoes, olives, and chili flakes for a Puttanesca-style dish. Chicken with Herb Sauce . Add fresh parsley and basil, reducing anchovies for balance.
Veal Piccata . Replace chicken with veal and swap anchovies with white wine. Fish Meunière . Use white fish, omit anchovies, and finish with a butter-lemon-caper sauce. Tofu à la Provençal . Tofu replaces chicken, marinated and served with garlic-caper sauce sans anchovies.
Incorporate fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary, or oregano into the dish. Adding some finely chopped fresh rosemary to the sauce will infuse it with a piney, aromatic flavor that complements the chicken well.
Grilled Lemon-Anchovy Chicken . Grill chicken and serve with pre-made sauce for barbecues. Roasted Garlic-Caper Chicken . Roast the chicken with garlic cloves, finish with a roasted garlic, capers, and lemon juice sauce.
Creamy Lemon Sauce . Add cream for a richer version. Brown Butter Caper Sauce . Use browned butter instead of olive oil, great with fish or chicken.
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