Succulent, fall-apart braised chicken with olives, tomatoes and lentils. This one-pot chicken dish is simple to prepare, full of Mediterranean flavours and makes a healthy, satisfying meal the whole family will enjoy. It’s made with chicken thighs and drumsticks, green olives, sun-dried tomatoes and pre-cooked lentils.
There’s nothing easier than a one-pot supper.
I’ve made this braised chicken with olives several times recently because it’s so forgiving: you can let it simmer while you get on with other things. The tomato-based sauce, green olives and sun-dried tomatoes give bright, savoury notes, while the lentils add texture and make the dish more substantial and nutritious.
Tip: I like to use a mix of chicken thighs and drumsticks with the skin on for extra flavour and better value. Since the chicken braises in the sauce the skin won’t stay crispy; I usually discard it before serving, but you can use skinless pieces if you prefer.
The sauce starts with a soffritto—finely chopped carrot, celery and onion—sautéed slowly until soft, then finished with red wine and canned plum tomatoes. Take your time with the soffritto as it builds the base flavour for the whole dish.
Tip: Use a red wine you would happily drink. Avoid so‑called cooking wines; a good drinking wine gives far better flavour.
Visual walk-through of the recipe
Begin by heating olive oil in a large saucepan and browning the chicken on all sides. Remove the chicken and set it aside. Finely chop the carrot, celery and onion and sauté them in the same pan for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2–3 minutes until everything is soft (photos 1 & 2).
Return the chicken to the pan, pour in the red wine and reduce it by half. Add the canned plum tomatoes (photos 3–5).
Use the side of a wooden spoon to break the plum tomatoes into smaller pieces. Stir in the green olives and chopped sun-dried tomatoes (photos 6 & 7).
Let the chicken, olives and tomatoes simmer uncovered for about 40 minutes. Add the pre-cooked lentils, stir through and simmer for another 10 minutes. Finish with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and serve (photos 8 & 9).
This dish makes excellent leftovers. I often eat it cold the next day—the flavours deepen overnight and become even more delicious.
More easy chicken recipes to try
- Italian Baked Chicken Thighs
- Chicken involtini with spinach and ricotta
- Chicken Cacciatore – Pollo alla Cacciatora
- Chicken croquettes with ricotta and thyme
- Chicken and mushroom pies
- Chicken pesto ciabatta
If you try this one-pot chicken with olives, tomatoes and lentils or any other recipe, please rate it and leave a comment—feedback helps others and I love hearing how it turned out. You can also follow the blog on social channels to see more recipes and kitchen updates.
Step By Step Photos Above
Most of our recipes include step-by-step photos, helpful tips and sometimes video to make them foolproof.
Chicken with Olives, Tomatoes and Lentils
By Emily
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 1 medium onion (white or yellow), finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 lbs (850g) mixed chicken thighs and drumsticks (about 2 pieces per person), skin on or skinless
- 1/2 cup (125ml) red wine
- 16 oz (480g) canned plum tomatoes
- About 20 green olives
- About 10 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 14 oz (400g) puy lentils, pre-cooked (canned)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 small bunch parsley, chopped, to finish
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Brown the chicken on all sides, then remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, sauté the finely chopped carrot, celery and onion for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2–3 more minutes until soft.
- Return the chicken to the pan and pour in the red wine. Reduce the wine by half, then add the canned plum tomatoes.
- Break the tomatoes into smaller pieces with the side of a wooden spoon. Add the green olives, chopped sun-dried tomatoes and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
- Simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Add the pre-cooked lentils, stir through and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Finish with chopped parsley and serve.
Notes
- Tip 1: Using skin-on chicken adds flavour and value, but the skin will soften during braising. Remove it before serving if desired or use skinless pieces.
- Tip 2: Take your time with the soffritto—sauté the carrot, celery and onion slowly until very soft to build depth in the sauce.
- Tip 3: Choose a red wine you would drink rather than a cheap cooking wine; it makes a noticeable difference to the sauce.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I use extra virgin olive oil unless stated otherwise.
- When using canned tomatoes I prefer brands that give consistent flavour and texture.
- All vegetables are medium-sized unless noted.
- Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven when applicable.
- Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates: 33g
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Protein: 53g
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Fat: 22g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.