Braised Chicken with Olives and Thyme

Name: Braised Chicken with Olives and Thyme
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: chicken tighs — 8 pcs; salt and ground black pepper by taste; vegetable oil — 2 tbsp; yellow onion medium size — 1 pcs; all-purpose flour — 1 tbsp; chicken stock — 200 ml; green olives — 150 g; fresh thyme sprigs — 3 pcs

45 minutes

Easy

Back to my favorite subject: chicken dishes. Somehow, I find myself cooking with chicken more than anything else. And what's interesting is that the family never complains about monotony, as there are simply countless ways and variations to prepare it.

This particular recipe is a winner because it's so easy and uses everyday ingredients. The flavor is simply incredible!

By the way, this recipe is a proof that one ingredient with a bold character can instantly elevate a simple braise into a dish with a sunny, Mediterranean twist. I'm talking about the green olives.

Main Courses European cuisine

08.12.2025

Ingredients for 4 servings:

Base

Sauce

Recipe:

Ingredient Notes:

Chicken. For this dish, the optimal option is chicken thighs. They are guaranteed to be juicy. You can use either bone-in or boneless thighs. If you use boneless thighs, the braising time will be about 15 minutes. If you replace the thighs with breast fillets, braise them for 10 minutes.
Olives. Use pitted green olives. Kalamata olives work well, too.
Stock. If you have frozen chicken stock, I recommend adding it; the gravy will have a richer flavor. If you don’t have any stock, use water.
Onions. Yellow onions are a good choice for this dish. However, depending on your preference, you can use white onions or shallots.
Flour. Flour acts as a thickener for the sauce. Therefore, I do not recommend excluding it. For this dish, regular all-purpose flour is best.
Thyme. Both dry and fresh thyme are suitable. For dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon will be enough.

Let’s start cooking!

Season chicken thighs with salt, sear them over high heat in vegetable oil until they are golden brown. Transfer to a plate.

In the same pan, sauté the onion over medium heat until golden.

Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add the stock, olives, and thyme to the onions. Return the chicken to the pan, cover, and braise for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.

Serve with a side of potatoes, rice, couscous, or polenta.

Enjoy!

This Braised Chicken with Olives and Thyme recipe was checked, prepared and approved by Chef Tatyana Nazaruk - author of FlavorIt.com.
Would you like to thank me? It's easy!