Saucy Chicken Puttanesca

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees . Pat chicken dry with paper towels, then season all over with salt. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Cook chicken, turning occasionally, until it has rendered some of its fat and skin is golden brown all over, 7–10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate. You’ll have a pool of fat left in the pan. Spoon out all but 3 Tbsp. fat from pan. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic and anchovies to skillet. Cook, stirring often, until garlic is softened and anchovies have disintegrated, 2–3 minutes. Sprinkle in red pepper flakes, then stir in tomato paste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomato paste begins to split and stick to pan, about 3 minutes. Add olives, wine, capers, bay leaves , and lemon peel and bring to a simmer . Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the wine has evaporated, 5–7 minutes. Snuggle chicken into sauce in a single layer. Pour in 1 cup water and bring to a simmer. Transfer skillet to oven and bake, uncovered, until sauce is thickened and chicken is cooked through, 20–25 minutes . Taste a spoonful of the sauce—it should be plenty salty between the anchovies and capers, so you most likely won’t need to season with more salt. Transfer chicken to a platter and spoon sauce over. Drizzle with oil and serve with lemon wedges alongside.