One Dish Chicken Thighs with Burst Tomatoes and Pancetta
If you want an easy, one dish dinner you can quickly throw together and toss in the oven so you can get back to the 8,475 other things you need to do while your house slowly begins to smell mouth waterlingly delightful, then this is it!
Honestly, is there anything better than a zero prep and minimal cleanup dinner for any night of the week? I think not! Once you make this, you’ll see (and taste) why this is on the weekly rotation again come the fall (when it is safe to turn the oven back on)! We’ve got chicken thighs for protein, roasty toasty tomatoes that literally burst with flavor, pancetta that adds depth of flavor and capers to round out the dish with their signature briney brightness. Add in some spices, a squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of olive oil, and you’ve got your next best weeknight dinner friend! So without further ado, I give you…
One Dish Chicken Thighs with Burst Tomatoes and Pancetta
What you’ll need
1.5-2lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 package of diced pancetta
1 pint of cherry tomatoes
3 tbsp. capers
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp. cumin
2 tbsp. oregano
1 tsp. paprika
Salt and pepper
Olive oil for drizzling
What you’ll do
Arrange the thighs in 3 rows of 2, tucking in the tomatoes in the spaces between.
Set your oven for 400
In a 9x13 (or larger) baking dish, arrange the chicken thighs. This will very depending on how may thighs you have. I buy the package with 6 thighs, so I arrange them in 3 rows of 2 thighs, with a space between each row.
Add the tomatoes to the spaces between the thighs
Drizzle the entire dish with olive oil
Season the chicken with the cumin, oregano and paprika
Top the chicken with the pancetta, spacing it out so that it will get nice and crispy
Add the capers to the entire dish
Drizzle the entire dish with the juice of one lemon
Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the dish
Pop in the over for 30-40 minutes, or until the tomatoes have burst and the pancetta is crispy
Serve with rice, pasta, potatoes, crusty bread… whatever strikes your fancy! The juice from the tomatoes and lemon will create a delicious sauce that should not be denied a carbohydrate! And if you haven’t yet caught on to the theme, top with some grated pecorino romano. You will not be disappointed, I promise!
Notes and Substitutions
You can absolutely use bone in skin-on thighs. But note that the cooking time will change, so I recommend using a thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked through. You can also use chicken thighs, but you won’t get as much of the sauce so you may want to add a tablespoon or two of chicken broth while cooking.
You really want the pancetta to get crispy, so make sure you space that apart and don’t lump it in with the tomatoes.
This dish is extremely versatile and can be customized to any preference or dietary restriction. If i were, for example, avoiding pork, I would replace the pancetta with some diced turkey bacon. Does someone in your home dislike capers? Cool! Replace with olives (though, highly likely if they dislike capers, olives are also on the do-not-fly list).
And as always, season with your heart! You may find you prefer more or less cumin as you make this dish. Customize it to what fits your needs and flavor preferences!
