Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, room temperature, patted dry
- salt
- black pepper
- 15 ml olive oil
Aromatics & Sauce
- 1 fennel bulb, cored and sliced into wedges
- 4 anchovy fillets, oil-packed
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 100 g castelvetrano olives, pitted
- 40 g golden raisins
- 1 orange, zested and juiced
- 80 ml dry white wine
- 120 ml chicken stock
- 2 g dried oregano
- 1 g red pepper flakes
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 213 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 21 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 1124 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 30 mg
- Potassium
- 323 mg
- Calcium
- 87 mg
- Iron
- 1.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 24 mg
- Phosphorus
- 104 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 25 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 18 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 16 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.08 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.12 mg
- Niacin
- 1.9 mg
- Folate
- 6 mcg
- Water
- 71 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
- Caffeine
- 0 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Thoroughly pat the chicken skin dry with paper towels and season liberally with salt and black pepper on both sides.
Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken skin-side down. Sear undisturbed for 6-8 minutes until the skin is deep golden brown and crispy. Flip and sear the other side for 2 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced fennel wedges to the rendered chicken fat. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened and beginning to brown at the edges.
Add the sliced garlic, anchovy fillets, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes, mashing the anchovies with a wooden spoon until they dissolve completely into the oil.
Pour in the white wine to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 2 minutes until reduced by half.
Stir in the chicken stock, orange juice, orange zest, golden raisins, olives, and dried oregano. Nestle the chicken thighs back into the pan, skin-side up. Ensure the skin remains above the liquid line to stay crispy.
Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Roast for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature reaches 74°C/165°F) and the sauce has slightly thickened.
Remove from oven. Let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with reserved fresh fennel fronds before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Do not fear the anchovies; they will melt entirely and provide a deep savory umami backbone (not a fishy taste) that contrasts beautifully with the sweet raisins.
- For the best texture, use Castelvetrano olives. Their buttery, firm flesh holds up better to braising than softer varietals.
- If you don't have an oven-safe skillet, you can simmer the dish covered on the stovetop for 25 minutes, but the skin will lose its crispness.
- Serve with crusty bread or polenta to soak up the aromatic citrus-fennel sauce.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in airtight container. Skin will lose crispness.
Freezer: 3 months — Remove bones before freezing for easier reheating.
Reheating: Reheat in a 180°C (350°F) oven to re-crisp skin, or simmer gently on stovetop.
Troubleshooting
Chicken skin is soggy
Cause: Liquid level was too high or pan was covered during roasting
Fix: Place under the broiler (grill) for 1-2 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning
Prevention: Ensure liquid only comes halfway up the chicken; do not cover pan in oven
Cultural Context
This dish draws heavily from the Arab-influenced cuisine of Sicily, where the combination of sweet (raisins, orange) and savory (olives, anchovies) creates a signature 'agrodolce' profile. The use of fennel and citrus reflects the island's abundant produce and historical trade routes.
