Tomato Garlic Chicken

Ingredients

• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound skin-on and bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, membrane/stem removed and cut into strips
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• 1/2 cup white wine, ideally it’ll be dry but really it’s not that serious
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• Cooked rice, for serving

Instructions

1. 1
   Sprinkle the chicken thighs and drumsticks with a few pinches of salt and pepper. In a dutch oven or medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken, skin-side down and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the skin is crispy. Flip the chicken and cook on the opposite side for an additional 2 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. You may need to do this in batches, depending on how big your pot is.
2. 2
   If needed, add an additional tablespoon of olive oil. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the diced onion; cook until translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Place the garlic atop the onion mixture and cook for an additional minute or so, until it’s fragrant.
3. 3
   Add the red bell pepper slices and the spices: ground cumin, coriander and red pepper flakes, if using, and about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and mix, allowing it to cook for another minute. Pour in the white wine and using a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pot to get up any browned tasty bits. Mix in the tomato paste and can of diced tomatoes. Add about 1 cup of water to the empty tomato can and swirl it around, making sure you get any last bits and flavor of tomato. Pour the tomato water into the pot and give it a good stir. Nestle the reserved chicken into the pot and bring the mixture up to a simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook for about 20 to 30 minutes, until the mixture is fragrant and the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Give the sauce a last taste and adjust the salt to your liking (I added about 1/2 teaspoon more of salt). Serve this over a bed of rice or with a side of greens.