Chicken Thighs in a Skillet

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you pan-fry chicken thighs? Start by gathering all your ingredients. You can use bone-in or boneless thighs. Go with medium-sized peppers and tomato and a large onion. The tomato can be swapped for ketchup, canned tomatoes in their own juice, or tomato paste — use as much as you like. Using different-colored vegetables, like I did, gives you a brighter, more colorful dish.

2. Step 2:

   

   Rinse the chicken under running water. If you're using bone-in thighs, remove the skin and bone — you can save them for another dish, like a broth. Pat the pieces dry with a paper towel so there's no moisture left and they splatter less as they fry.

3. Step 3:

   

   Rub the thighs with salt and spices. If you're using a store-bought spice blend, check the label first — these mixes often already contain salt, so keep that in mind or you may end up over-salting the dish. Let the thighs sit at room temperature to marinate for 15–30 minutes.

4. Step 4:

   

   Peel, rinse, and slice the onion into thin half-moons. My onions were small, so I used two. To keep your eyes from stinging while you slice, rinse the onion and the knife in cold water. And if you rub your cutting board with a piece of lemon first, it won't hold onto the oniony smell.

5. Step 5:

   

   Wash the bell peppers, remove the stems, cut them open, scrape out the seeds, and chop into large pieces. Wash the tomato, remove the stem, and cut into small, rough pieces. Peel the garlic and mince it with a press or on a fine grater.

6. Step 6:

   

   Use a skillet about 9 inches (22 cm) across. Heat the oil over medium, then add all the chicken pieces. Turn the heat up and sear the thighs on one side until golden brown.

7. Step 7:

   

   Flip the thighs, lower the heat, and cook on the other side for 10–15 minutes.

8. Step 8:

   

   Searing them this way keeps the thighs juicy. Once the chicken is browned on the second side, take it out of the pan. In the same oil, cook the onion over medium heat, stirring now and then. You don't want it golden — just soft and translucent. Season with a little salt.

9. Step 9:

   

   Add the bell pepper and the chicken back to the onion and stir. Simmer for 5 minutes.

10. Step 10:

    

    Add the tomato and garlic to the pan. Stir and let it go for another 3 minutes.

11. Step 11:

    

    Finally, add the olives, stir, cover, and leave on low heat for 5 minutes. You can halve the olives lengthwise or slice them crosswise into rings — I like adding them whole, so I left them as is.