This One Pan Artichoke Chicken with Olives Recipe is a winner-winner chicken dinner. It is simple for a weeknight meal and special for a dinner party with friends. It is a chicken recipe that always gets rave reviews!

This recipe works well with Italian farro as a side you may also use white or brown rice, or even cauliflower rice. Serve with a simple salad and you have yourself a healthy meal! If you want to add Hot Mascarpone Spinach Artichoke Dip as an appetizer that’s a bonus.

Why this recipe works

The chicken thighs simmer in white wine, green Castelvetrano olives, artichokes, and herbs. The best part is the briny decadent sauce is a dream boat for soaking flavor into the farro and for dipping bread.

This delicious meal is packed with so much flavor it is a always requested by my children.

Oh, and it all cooks in ONE PAN! Minus the farro that cooks separately. Truly friends, this meal sings to my heart strings.

Another artichoke recipe to try- Sicilian Stuffed Artichokes!

Recipe inspiration

My zia Rosella makes this dish in Italy and I can smell the aroma coming from her kitchen now. Run and make this meal for you and yours.

Simple Ingredients

All it takes is a few simple ingredients for

• Farro (cooked)
• Olive oil (or avocado oil)
• Chicken thighs
• Shallot, thinly sliced
• Marinated artichokes in oil 
• Castelvetrano olives
• Dry white wine
• Rosemary
• Thyme 
• Parsley 

What is Farro?

Farro, a high-protein, high-fiber ancient whole-grain wheat, looks similar to barley, though with a slightly more oblong and larger grain. Farro retains a notable amount of chew like barley when it gets cooked. Farro and barley can be used interchangeably in most recipes.

Along with other grains seeing a revival in modern American kitchens, such as Kamut, kaniwa, and freekeh, farro is considered an ancient grain, which the Oldways Whole Grains Council defines as a grain “largely unchanged over the last several hundred years.”

This is in contrast to the modern wheat found in most processed grocery-store products, which has undergone genetic manipulation and cross-breeding in an attempt to maximize production and profits.

What Does Farro Taste Like?

Farro has a nutty flavor with a hint of cinnamon and a chewy texture perfect for salads, soups, and sides. Like most grains, it makes a good base for dishes that layer flavors, such as protein bowls, as it takes on the character of a dressing or sauce.

Source for Farro Facts: The Spruce Eats

Braised Chicken

Braising is a simple technique were you lightly fry your meat before letting it cook, or “stew” in liquid (generally wine or broth), in a covered dish until it is fully cooked. It creates crispy skin on the meat if you are using a skin-on variety.

The first part to braising involves lightly frying the seasoned chicken pieces in batches-about 5 minutes a side.

This allows the chicken to brown nicely and not fully cook. Set aside on a plate until needed.

The process requires only one pot and the result is an incredibly delicious chicken that is both crispy, tender and succulent.

After the chicken thighs simmer in the herb and olive wine sauce they achieve a rich and complex flavor unique to the braising process.

Castelvetrano Olives

As an Italian I take my olives very seriously! There are as many raw olive varieties as tasty olive oils; they all taste equally different.

One of my favorite olive varieties is Castelvetrano Olives from Southern Italy (mainly Sicily). Castelvetrano olives are Italy’s most ubiquitous snack olive. Bright green, they’re often referred to as dolce (sweet), and come from Castelvetrano, Sicily, from the olive variety nocerella del belice.

They have a Kermit-green hue, meaty, buttery flesh, and a mild flavor. They are so delicious to snack on plain as the flavor is so unique and satisfying. These olives can make an olive lover out of anyone!

They also grow them in California and you can buy them now at most any American grocery store.

I highly recommend buying all olives, especially this variety, with the pit in them as they are more fresh that way. The Castelvetrno is tender and crisp, almost fruit-like. An olive you must try if you haven’t already.

Marinated Artichoke Hearts

For this recipe I like to use pre marinated artichoke hearts. I get them without added herbs and usually find them in olive and cheese bar section of the grocery store.

I love to eat the on salads or even enjoy them plain! They tend to have a very light taste that is often compared to celery or even young and fresh asparagus.

Some artichoke hearts, although not all of them, will often have a bit of a lemon aftertaste, which can be very bright and work well to lighten up the dish.

If you want to use fresh artichokes it will take more preparation to boil and clean them, but you can certainly do so. It will still turn out as a delicious artichoke chicken recipe.

Variations

Here are a few ways you can make this recipe your own:

Spicy- add red pepper flakes or black pepper to kick it up a notch!

Chicken Breast- instead of chicken thighs you can use chicken breasts. I think thighs are more flavorful!

Cherry Tomatoes- add a 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes with the olives and artichokes and watch them burst in the sauce and create another layer of flavor.

Cheesy- feel free to add a little parmigiano or parmesan cheese on the top right before serving! Even a dollop of sour cream would add a nice touch.

Olives- use kalamata instead of the green type.

Garlic- add fresh garlic if you like, in this dish I prefer the taste of the shallot without added garlic or onion.

Zesty- add a splash of lemon juice or freshly grated lemon zest to add a lemony kick. If you like lemon try BEST Lobster Ravioli Sauce with Lemon Brown Butter.

If this is your first time making this meal try it the original way and next time, add try a variation.

Equipment

Link to my favorite cuisinart stainless saute pan . It is my preferred large skillet that I use the most in cooking. You can also use a cast iron skillet*.

*includes affiliated links

More Chicken Recipes for YOU

Perfect Roast Chicken with Citrus and Fennel

Creamy Parmigiano Herb and Mushroom Chicken

Chicken Braised in Red Wine and Plums

Lemon Tarragon Chicken- One Pan Meal

Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner- herb roasted vegetables and orange spiced-honey glaze

From my cucina (kitchen) to your table… Made with LOVE!

Mangia! Mangia! (Eat!)

Have you checked out my NEW CBE PRODUCTS? Take a look at the 2-in-1 cutting and charcuterie board, gorgeous apron, and unique pasta server that you that you absolutely need. The wood products are all handmade in Salt Lake City, Utah. They make great gifts as well!

Enjoy dinner tonight with this complete meal of delicious chicken. It is a great chicken recipe to make often!

Make sure to leave a ⭐️star rating on the recipe card and comment below if you make the recipe. I love to connect with you through my recipes.

I would love for you to tag me on Instagram @cucinabyelena so I can see your delicious Italian recipes. To get more ideas, follow me on Pinterest.

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