Kittencal's Italian Chicken With Olives

Created by KittenCal on January 24, 2012

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds chicken thighs (skin on, bone-in, 8 thighs)
Salt and fresh ground black pepper (to season the chicken plus more to add in when cooking)
Olive oil, for browning
2 medium yellow onions (chopped)
Button mushrooms (small button, or use as much as you like)
6 to 8 large garlic cloves, minced (the more the better!)
3 teaspoons dried basil
3 teaspoon dried oregano

Crushed chili flakes, pinch (or hot sauce, optional but good to add, can adjust to taste)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 large bay leaves
1/3 cup dry red wine
1 can (28 ounce) whole tomatoes (see step #1 -- DO not substitute pureed tomatoes!)
1 can (14 ounce) diced tomatoes (drain and discard the juice, puree only the tomatoes -- optional use if you want to sauce)
1/2 cup green olives, sliced
Tomato juice (only if needed)

Step 1: Grease a small roaster (with a lid). In a processor process the 28-ounce can tomatoes with juice until smooth (if you are using the 14-ounce can puree only the tomatoes) set aside.
Step 2: Season the chicken liberally with seasoned salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch over medium-high heat (use enough oil to coat the bottom of the Dutch oven, or as needed) add in the chicken in batches and brown just the skin part (about 3 minutes). Transfer the chicken to roaster.
Step 3: To the Dutch oven add in onions and mushrooms; saute scraping up all the browned bits in the bottom of skillet cook for about 3-4 minutes. Add in garlic and next 3 spices cook stirring for 2 minutes. Add in pureed tomatoes, brown sugar, bay leaves, wine and olives; bring to a medium simmer and cook partially covered stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 4: Pour the tomato mixture over the browned chicken. Turn the chicken pieces to coat in the sauce (facing skin-side up for oven cooking).
Step 5: Cover and cook in a preheated 325 degree F oven for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until chicken is tender (removing about halfway through cooking and seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed, If you find that after 1 hour of cooking the sauce is too thick mix in 2 cups of tomato juice and continue to cook, I find I most always need to add in some tomato juice).