Sicilian baked chicken is a rustic one-pan Mediterranean dish where chicken cooks with cherry tomatoes, olives, capsicum and baby potatoes until tender, with the juices turning into a rich, flavourful sauce. It’s simple, generous food that requires very little effort but delivers big flavour.

My husband and I both come from large families (he’s one of six and I’m one of five), so when we get together it’s not unusual for there to be over 30 people. This is the kind of dish I always come back to for those occasions — it scales up beautifully and is often on the table at Christmas at our place. If you enjoy simple Mediterranean cooking, you might also like my Mediterranean Swordfish, another recipe built around bold flavours and minimal fuss.

You only need a handful of good ingredients and about 5 minutes of prep. After that, it’s straight into the oven for around 1½ hours — no hands-on cooking required. It’s the perfect kind of meal when you want to cook something impressive without being stuck in the kitchen, while the smell slowly builds and everyone starts asking when dinner will be ready.

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Ingredients for Sicilian Baked Chicken

• Chicken drumsticks with the skin on (you could use thighs, or marylands too)
• Cherry tomatoes
• Capsicum (bell peppers)
• New potatoes (baby potatoes)
• Sicilian olives (the green ones)
• Red onion
• Garlic (lots!!!!!!!)
• Basil
• Sea salt flakes
• Pepper
• Olive oil
• Fresh crusty bread (to mop up all the juices)

Assembling the Dish

Assembling this one-pan Sicilian chicken dish only takes 5 minutes and is very easy. You want to make a base of all the ingredients that the chicken will sit on. This will create a delicious broth that will steam during the cooking process and ensure the chicken stays moist and doesn’t over cook. Then you lay the chicken (that has been rubbed with olive oil, salt and pepper) on top. This allows the skin of the chicken to go lovely, golden and a little crispy.

FAQ
Can I prepare Sicilian baked chicken ahead of time?
Yes, you can assemble all the ingredients and cover the dish in the fridge for up to a day before baking. After baking, leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3–4 days and reheat beautifully in the oven or microwave.

And there you have it, everything you need for a meal is in the one pan (aside from the fresh crusty bread). So not only is this dish super easy and delicious it is a scrumptious Baked Sicilian Chicken with minimal clean up! I feel like we have ticked all the boxes with this one 😋.

Transport your taste buds to the sun-drenched shores of Sicily. With each bite, you’ll savour the tangy sweetness of cherry tomatoes, the briny bite of olives and the gorgeous scent of basil.

This dish is perfect for both weeknight dinners and special occasions, offering a taste of the Mediterranean right in your own kitchen. So, gather your ingredients, embrace the spirit of Sicilian cuisine, and treat yourself to a super yummy dinner. Buon appetito!

Watch How to Make It

If you prefer to see it come together, I’ve filmed the full process here:

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