Oh hello, Chicken Basquaise. I love you.

Today, we’re making Chicken Basquaise, or Basque-Style Braised Chicken and Chorizo. This is a truly spectacular one-pan meal that will knock your socks clean off.

I love to walk around the world via the food I cook in my kitchen, and trying recipes and dishes from other cultures and countries will never not be my favorite thing to do, cooking wise. This one is unique and special, supremely delicious by all accounts. It boats a lineup of tasty ingredients that nicely represent the country that lays claim to it and it fits snugly into my very favorite category of food: cozy, one-pan, stick-to-your-ribs braises that warm up a chilly fall or winter evening just perfectly. You know, those ole things.

Anyway, if my Chicken Basquaise recipe is up your alley, you might want to check out my Country Captain recipe and the Jezebel Chicken recipe from my second book. Or, this Roasted Chicken with Grapes and Dijon will probably be your speed, as will this Lemon Butter Chicken Number.

What to serve with chicken basquaise:

You should give my Milk and Honey Basque Cheesecake a try if you havent yet. It’s a really special one. There’s also a cranberry and white chocolate version which is the greatest around the holidays, I think. Or, to play off of the apple in the stew, you could serve this Chicken Basquaise with my Old Fashioned Apple Fritters and this Salted Apple Butter Dark and Stormy cocktail and you’d honestly make my day if you did that. What a fun menu!

A crisp, crunchy green salad fits the bill here, too. And my simple iceberg salad is perfect (it’s cool to like iceberg, okay?), as is this cucumber salad.

Why We Love This Chicken Basquaise Recipe So Much

If there is one type of recipe that tends to pop up here more than any other, it is a one-pan chicken recipe. No doubt about it. I reach for chicken more than any other protein due to its wide availability, affordability, and universal appeal to each member of my little family. So, if you are thinking to yourself Dang! This gal really shares a ton of chicken recipes …

Then, you’re right. I do. And I don’t suppose I’ll let up any time soon. Today’s recipe – this unreal Chicken Basquaise – is such a cool one. It marries the flavors of spicy chorizo sausage with my favorite chicken thighs, and calls upon the aromatic assistance of things like crushed garlic, onion, thyme and bay leaves (optional but lovely), tomatoes and tomato paste, and for a slightly sweet note – an apple.

Yes! There is a chopped apple in the mix as well, and I think the traditional Basque approach would have you serve fresh apple right on top of the finished dish, but I loved the idea of cooking it right into the braising liquid, along with the savory elements, and it adds the perfect subtle note of sweetness.

Chicken Basquaise Ingredient notes

The ingredients list for this one might read a little bit longer than my recipes usually do, but it’s still an affordable, quick-to-make, one-pan meal that comes together really easily. Here’s how we do it:

The chorizo

We’re using already cooked, linked chorizo here – the Spanish kind, not the raw/pickled Mexican variety. Almost every major supermarket I’ve ever visited carries chorizo of this persuasion, so you shouldn’t have any trouble with this one. If you can’t seem to spot it in your store, just ask a friendly person behind the butcher/meat counter. They’ll show you the way or, if you’re especially lucky, they’ll have some fresh for you that you can have wrapped up right there. Amazing.

The chicken

This recipe calls for boneless, skinless thighs, ensuring your meat will remain tender and juicy throughout the cooking process.

The onion

Fittingly, we’re slicing up a big Spanish onion for this recipe, and it will lend its irreplaceable aromatic essence to the entire stew.

The potatoes

I’m not so picky when it comes to the potatoes you use in this Chicken Basquaise recipe, honestly. You can use bitty gold potatoes and bigger Russets if that’s what you happen to have sure to quarter them if they’re huge.

The apple

Traditionally, you’d add some sliced fresh apple on top of your plated stew. That’s what you’d likely find in the Basque country. But in my version here, I couldn’t help but put that apple right into the hot stew with everything else, its sweetness creeping into things just beautifully. You don’t need much, about 3/4 cup will do. Pear will also work, as would golden raisins or even some cubed butternut or kabocha squash. Even a little cubed pumpkin would work great.

The tomatoes

A cup of halved cherry tomatoes as well as some tomato paste work together in this Chicken Basquaise recipe to bring round a truly robust tomato flavor. I LOVE the one-two punch of the little baby tomatoes and the paste – it’s perfect in this.

The Wine

Reach for a dry white wine here, one that isn’t too sweet, and you’ll be off to the races.

The peppers

You’ll add 9 or 10 jarred piquillo peppers that you’ve roughly chopped to the mix, and they’re a very important guest to this particular party, as they’re tres’ Basque and also tres’ delicious. That said, you can sub roasted red peppers, if you can’t find the Piquillo.

What are Piquillo Peppers?

Piquillo peppers are a Spanish sweet red pepper (no heat!) and they’re widely available in supermarkets today – you’ll find them in a jar. If you have trouble finding them in your store, though, you can substitute roasted red peppers. They’ll work just fine.

Oh, and “piquillo” means “little beak.”

How to make this Chicken Basquaise Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position.
2. Add about 1 TBSP olive oil to a large, tall-sided/heavy-bottomed skillet set over med-high heat. Brown the chorizo on all sides until golden brown; about 8 to 10 minutes total. NOTE: I use a splatter screen or just the pan lid during this part, as sausage tends to really sputter and spit as it cooks. 
3. Transfer the chorizo to a sheet pan or tray, and add a little more oil to the pan (if needed). Season the chicken thighs lightly with salt and pepper, and brown them on each side; about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the tray with the sausage, for now. Reduce the heat to medium and again, add a little more oil if needed. Add the onion, potatoes, bay leaves, thyme, apple, tomatoes, and tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, to help the veggies tenderize. 
4. Add the wine to the pan and stir to pick up any browned bits on the bottom. Add the chicken stock and the piquillo peppers to the pan; just tuck them in. Slide the sausages and chicken thighs into the pan, submerging them as best you can. Sprinkle with the smoked paprika. 
5. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the potatoes are fully tender and the sausages are done in the centers. Serve with crusty bread for sopping. 

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