Name: Olive Pepper Chicken Skillet
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 4 skin-on boneless chicken breasts (or thighs) (see note); 2+2 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin); 1 yellow onion, diced (1 cup); 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped ( 1 1/2 cups); 1.5 lb bag baby potatoes (halved (2 cups)); 5 cloves garlic (minced); 4.9 oz jar castelvetrano olives, pitted (1 cup); 2 Fresno or hot peppers, seeded, thinly sliced (see note); 2 tbsp fresh rosemary (finely chopped); 2 tbsp fresh oregano (finely chopped); 1/2 cup white wine; 1 cup low sodium chicken broth; 1 tbsp paprika; 1 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This olive and pepper chicken skillet, is a one pot meal packed with flavor. Skin-on chicken breasts (or thighs), crisped to perfection, surrounded by baby potatoes, castelvetrano olives, hot peppers, fresh herbs, and the most delicious pan sauce.

cast iron skillet with skin on chicken, surrounded by baby potatoes, castelvetrano olives, sliced red peppers, and fresh herbs on a grey background

Why this recipe works

Using a cast iron skillet, you can sear skin-on chicken to get crispy skin and then transfer the dish into the oven to finish cooking the chicken through, as well as the additional ingredients. Cast iron is great from transferring dishes from the stovetop, directly into the oven.

What kind of chicken to use in this recipe

raw skin on chicken breast on a green cutting board

For this recipe, I used boneless skin-on chicken breast. Most skin-on chicken breast come with the bone still inside. You can either remove it yourself, or if you leave it you will have to cook the breast a bit longer in the oven. This recipe also works great with chicken thighs as well.

Baby potatoes

To make this a one skillet meal and add sustenance, I use baby potatoes. Since the whole dish is cooking together, make sure you use small potatoes. If you use larger potatoes, they will not cook in the time it takes for the chicken to be cooked through. Slicing them in half will also assist with them fully cooking through.

How-to cut a bell pepper

dicing a red bell pepper on a yellow cutting board

There are many ways to cut a bell pepper, but my favorite way is as follows. Using a pairing knife, cut at a diagonal around the crown. Grab the stem, twist, and pull, most of the seeds should come out. Slice the bell pepper in half and shave off the white membranes, this can be bitter tasting. Slice in strips, then proceed to dice. For this recipe I wanted the bell pepper smaller, so I chopped them again after dicing.

Hot peppers

In this olive and pepper skillet, I use hot peppers to compliment the briny olives and sweet bell peppers. You can use a few different types of peppers depending on what is currently available at the store. I have used Fresno peppers (in my grocery the most common), long red hot (pictured above), or cherry rounds. You can also use jalapeños too.

I remove the seeds so that the dish still gets a spicy note, but isn’t overpowering or overwhelming. Using a pairing knife, slice the stem off, then I cut around the seeds inside, then pull them out. I also recommend wearing cooking gloves when dealing with hot peppers.

Fresh herbs

minced oregano and rosemary on a yellow cutting board

Every time I cook potatoes, I love using a bunch of fresh herbs. I used fresh rosemary and oregano. Finely chop both together, so it coats all the ingredients when you add it to the skillet. If you need to use dry herbs in a pinch, halve the amount in the recipe, since dry herbs are more concentrated in flavor.

What are castelvetrano olives

baby potatoes, green olives, onion, garlic, bell pepper in white bowls on cutting board

Castelvetrano olives are Sicilian green olives, most notable for their green color and buttery meaty taste. When selecting your olives at the store, make sure you grab the ones that are pitted and that are free from dyes.

How-to cook skin-on chicken

searing chicken in a cast iron skillet on the stove top

Skin-on chicken is so popular, because of the delicious crispy skin you get and the flavor it gives a dish when the fat renders out.

Salt and pepper the chicken on both sides. In the cast iron skillet, over medium heat, place the chicken skin side down. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the skin gives and lifts. If the skin is stuck, it isn’t ready to be flipped yet. Sear on the other side for 2 minutes, then remove and set aside (it will finish cooking in the oven).

Cooking the rest of the dish

cooking potatoes, olives, peppers, in a cast iron skillet on the stove top

Once you have seared the chicken and set it aside, add: olive oil, diced yellow onion, and minced bell peppers. Sauté for 4 minutes until onion begins to soften.
Next, add in the sliced hot peppers, paprika, and minced garlic. Sauté and mix all ingredients.
Deglaze the pan with white wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the bottom of the skillet, this will get all the delicious crispy bits that the chicken left behind (so much flavor!).
Add in the baby potatoes, castelvetrano olives, fresh rosemary and oregano. Stir to combine. Pour in 1 cup chicken broth. Nestle the chicken into the potatoes then transfer into the oven.
Cook at 400F, for 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature has reached 165F for the chicken. Always have a thermometer handy when cooking chicken!
Remove from oven and serve!

bowl of chicken with potatoes, olives, peppers, and juice at bottom of white bowl

Storing/reheating

Store: Remove olive and pepper chicken from the skillet and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat: reheat in oven at 350F for 15 minutes or until chicken is warmed through. You can also microwave, but skin will not be as crisp if reheated this way.

Similar recipes