Home Cook Together. Celebrate Life.

Middle EasternAuthentic Cuisine

Middle Eastern Chicken Sauté

Serves 4 to 6 Entree chicken, Poultry

Middle Eastern Chicken Sauté

Middle Eastern Chicken Sauté brings the essence of home cooking to your table, capturing the heart of everyday meals across the region. This dish is a staple for family dinners, where the art of seasoning is passed down through generations and shared without measurement. It's the kind of meal that feels familiar, yet always holds the freshness of individual touch, as each cook adds their own pinch of salt or extra splash of oil.

The sautéed chicken thighs, tender and juicy, meld with softened onions and vibrant peppers, creating a comforting balance of sweetness and spice. The generous use of oil carries the flavors, making each bite rich and satisfying. Serve it with warm flatbread to soak up every bit of the savory juices, and let the simplicity of the dish speak to the warmth of home cooking.

Ingredients

  • 700 gchicken thighs
  • 1onion
  • 2peppers
  • 2 tbspoil
  • to tastefine sea salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Start by patting the 700 g chicken thighs dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, which helps in achieving a good sear. Season the chicken generously with fine sea salt and black pepper on both sides. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Place the chicken thighs in the pan, skin-side down if they have skin, and let them brown for about 5-7 minutes until they develop a deep golden crust. Flip the chicken and brown the other side for another 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
  2. Peel and thinly slice 1 onion, then add it to the same pan, using the rendered chicken fat and oil. Stir the onions occasionally, cooking them until they become translucent and start to caramelize, which should take about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, slice 2 peppers into thin strips and add them to the pan. Continue to cook until the peppers are tender and the onions are golden brown, releasing a sweet aroma.
  3. Return the browned chicken thighs to the pan, nestling them among the onions and peppers. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pan with a lid. Let the chicken cook through, allowing the flavors to meld together. The chicken is done when it is no longer pink inside and the juices run clear when pierced with a knife, which should take about 15-20 minutes.
  4. If there is excess liquid in the pan, remove the lid and increase the heat slightly to allow the sauce to reduce. Stir occasionally to ensure even cooking and to prevent sticking. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with more fine sea salt and black pepper if needed.
  5. Once the sauce has thickened to your liking and the chicken is tender, turn off the heat. Optionally, you can finish the dish with a sprinkle of fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro for added freshness and color. Serve the Middle Eastern Chicken Sauté warm, ideally with flatbread or rice, allowing everyone at the table to share and enjoy.
Cover of Authentic Middle Eastern Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Middle Eastern Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Middle Eastern Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Middle Eastern volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

Available soon on Amazon…

Explore Middle Eastern cuisine