Sicilian Skillet Chicken With Lemon, Olives, and Capers

Let’s get something straight before we dive into this recipe. As far as I know, there isn’t a singular dish on the sunny island of Sicily that’s called Sicilian skillet chicken. What I can tell you is that the place is brimming with agricultural riches from which to cook a spectacular chicken dish. 

If you travel the countryside of Sicily, you’d be hard pressed not to notice olive groves dotting the landscape, vineyards along hillsides, capers growing wild, a variety of citrus trees, and olive oil producers from coast to coast. These are just some of the treasures that have put Sicily on the culinary map, and all of them play a role in making this a winner of a recipe.

This tender, tasty one-skillet chicken dish borrows the best from the Sicilian kitchen. Olives, capers, lemon, and white wine marry in a lip-smacking braising liquid that works magic with golden, meaty chicken thighs. Simple, rustic, and a real keeper. I consider it easy enough for a weeknight supper, but also something I’d happily serve to company. This will make you want to hightail it to the shores of Italy’s biggest island.

Simple Cooking, Big Flavors

This is simple, rustic cooking that’s built on layers of flavor. You start by getting chicken thighs golden brown. From there, you sauté a red onion, then add garlic, capers, olives, a whole sliced lemon, and oregano. A generous pour of white wine goes next, serving as the braising liquid for the chicken. Cover the skillet, nice and snug, and leave it to bubble until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

One thing is for certain about this dish—it offers no shortage of flavor. Take a spoonful of the pan juices and you’ll get a salty, briny kick from the olives and capers, a hit of tang from the whole lemon, and the aromatic triple threat of onions, garlic, and oregano. 

Tips for Making Sicilian Chicken

Even though this recipe involves a few steps, it’s a relatively simple one to tackle. Here are a few pointers for hitting it out of the park.

• If time permits, salt the chicken in advance. Salt it up to 24 hours in advance and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to cook. Doing so makes the finished bird especially flavorful. 
• Don’t rush the browning. Be sure to get the chicken skin nice and golden. It will make the dish tastier and prettier to look at, too. 
• Pit the olives. Nobody wants the unpleasant surprise of biting down on an olive pit. Either buy pitted olives or pit them yourself. Use the side of a chef’s knife or a mallet to gently pound the olives and remove the pits. Easy!

Variations You Should Try

If you want to play around with this recipe, there are plenty of ways. Here are some ideas.

• Use a different variety of olives. I favor the buttery Castelvetrano olives native to Sicily, but other varieties will work deliciously, such as Cerignola, Manzanilla, and Picholine. 
• Swap in a Meyer lemon. If you can get your hands on this juicy variety, use it in place of the lemon. 
• Add a pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes. A touch of heat might be a nice addition.
• Choose a different leafy green. Instead of kale, use chard, spinach, collards, or dandelion greens. You could even use radicchio if you like bitter flavors.  
• Use a whole, cut-up chicken that’s about four pounds instead of chicken thighs. Ask your butcher to cut each breast in half down the center. Also, keep an eye on the breasts as they cook, since they may be done before the other cuts are tender. Simply pull them out while the thighs and legs finish cooking and return them to the skillet before serving. 

What to Serve With Sicilian Chicken

Serving options for Sicilian skillet chicken are many. It could certainly be served on its own, with crusty bread on the side for sopping up the briny juices. A chewy cooked grain, such as farro or sorghum would work well. You could also spoon the chicken over mashed potatoes or serve it with a side of roasted ones. And since this is Italian cooking we’re talking about, a simple pasta tossed with olive oil on the side would be suitable, too. 

Yes, You Can Plan Ahead

Like so many dishes, this one is best served hot off the stove. That said, I’ve enjoyed it on two occasions made entirely ahead of time. Just cover the skillet with a lid or foil and store it in the fridge for up to a day. 

To reheat, leave the lid on and set it over medium-low heat. Since some of the liquid will likely have been absorbed into the other ingredients, you may want to add a few splashes of chicken broth or even water to the skillet as it heats.

Chicken Recipes Inspired by Italy

• Chicken Cacciatore (Hunter Style Chicken)
• Skillet Chicken Parmesan
• Chicken Milanese
• Italian Skillet Chicken with Spinach, Tomatoes, and Onions