Chicken puttanesca
20 min · 41 g protein · 337 cals / serving
Chunks of chicken thigh and breast seared, then simmered in a punchy Neapolitan tomato sauce with garlic, melted anchovies, Kalamata olives, capers and a pinch of chilli, with a bag of baby spinach wilted in at the end. Twenty minutes in one pan, and like every tomato sauce it is better the next day; it freezes, too.
Ingredients
- 12 oz boneless skinless thighs chicken thigh, cut in 4 cm (1 1/2-inch) chunks
- 12 oz boneless skinless breast chicken breast, cut in 4 cm (1 1/2-inch) chunks
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 4 fillets anchovies, in oil, drained and chopped
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/4 tsp for children
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 (14 oz) can canned crushed tomatoes
- 1/3 cup kalamata olives, pitted Kalamata olives, sliced (or a jar of sliced)
- 2 tbsp capers, drained
- 5 cups baby spinach
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Steps
- Pat the chicken dry and season with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat and brown the chicken 2 minutes a side; slice the garlic while it browns. Push the chicken to the edges of the pan.
- Turn the heat to medium. Add the garlic, anchovies, pepper flakes and oregano to the middle and stir for 1 minute, until the anchovies melt into the oil, then stir in the tomato paste for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the tomatoes, olives and capers and bring to a simmer around the chicken. Cover and simmer 6 minutes, turning the chicken once, then uncover, pile in the spinach and cook 2 minutes more, stirring, until it has wilted into the sauce, the sauce has thickened and the chicken is 165°F inside.
- Scatter with parsley and serve. It keeps 4 days in the fridge and freezes for 3 months; reheat until piping hot.
Good to know
What do I serve it with on keto?
Zucchini noodles warmed in the sauce for the last 2 minutes, a pile of steamed green beans or a green salad. Spaghetti or crusty bread are the classic if carbs are not a concern.
Will children eat anchovies?
They melt away completely and leave a savoury depth rather than a fishy taste, so most never know. Use a teaspoon of anchovy paste if you prefer, and keep the chilli to a pinch.
Can I use one pack of thighs?
Yes, all thighs (1 1/2 lb) is the classic and the cheapest, and stays juiciest reheated, at about 66 instead of 72. All breast works too; take it off the heat as soon as it reaches 165°F.
Alternative
Per
- Calories
- 105
- Protein
- (50%)
- 13 g
- Fat
- (39%)
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- (12%)
- 4 g
- of which sugar
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 330 mg
More meals
Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. General guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber. How
As written, 1346 kcal goes into the pot and 1389 g of ingredients comes out as about 1279 g of food: 105 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.