The perfect mid week dinner, packed with flavour and easy to prepare.
The Classic Arrabiata Sauce is an Italian sauce, made with sweet San Marzano tomatoes, lots of garlic and red pepper flakes!
Here we have used it as an inspiration to pep up a mid week chicken dinner.
INGREDIENTS
8 Chicken thighs
2 tins San Marzon tomatoes, or the best tinned tomatoes you can get
1 medium onion, very finely chopped
6 clove garlic minced
2 tbsp red pepper flakes (this really is to taste)
1 bay leaf
Olive oil
To Serve: New potatoes, greens of choice + very un-Italian topped here with some feta
Step 1: Fry
Add a tbsp of oil to a frying pan, heat over a medium heat, then add the chicken thighs and brown all over. Remove the thighs and place in your slow cooker or a large oven suitable pan with a lid. (see chefs notes for timings.)
Step 2: Sauce
In the same pan add the onions, then a few minutes later the garlic, stir often until softened. Sprinkle in the chilli flakes and pour in the tomatoes. With a fork crush the tomatoes + let cook for a few minutes. Then pour over the chicken and add the bay leaf.
Step 3: Cook
Leave in the slow cooker, until the chicken falls off the bone. This can take 3-4 hours. Check occasionally to see if it needs any more liquid. If so add a little water.
Step 4: Serve
Just before serving, prepare your potatoes or pasta and the broccoli.
Chefs Notes:
This dish is better if cooked low and slow. It gives the sauce time to thicken and the chicken time to tenderise + fall off the bone.