Israeli Shakshuka Chicken (Braised Chicken in Tomato-Pepper Sauce)

About This Recipe

Israeli Shakshuka Chicken is a real, traditional Israeli dish, known as Braised Chicken in Tomato-Pepper Sauce. Bone-in chicken pieces braised in the same bold cumin-and-paprika tomato sauce used for classic shakshuka, hearty enough for dinner.\n\nThis heartier chicken variation builds on shakshuka's North African-Jewish tomato and pepper sauce tradition, adapting the same beloved flavor base into a full braised dinner dish common in modern Israeli home cooking.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Israeli home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1.2 kgbone-in chicken thighs
• 4 tbspolive oil
• 1yellow onion(diced)
• 1red bell pepper(diced)
• 6garlic cloves(minced)
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tspsweet paprika
• 0.5 tspcayenne pepper
• 800 gcrushed tomatoes
• 1 tspsugar
• 1 tspfine sea salt(to taste)
• 3 tbspchopped fresh cilantro
• 4 cupssteamed rice(to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the chicken

   Heat olive oil in a wide pot and brown the chicken thighs on both sides, about 6 minutes total; set aside.

2. 2

   Cook the vegetables

   In the same pot, cook onion and bell pepper until softened, about 8 minutes.

3. 3

   Add spices

   Stir in garlic, cumin, paprika and cayenne, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.

4. 4

   Build the sauce

   Add crushed tomatoes and sugar, simmering for 10 minutes.

5. 5

   Braise the chicken

   Return the chicken to the pot, cover, and simmer gently for 35 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

6. 6

   Serve

   Season with salt, garnish with fresh cilantro, and serve hot over steamed rice.

Variations

• •

  Use bone-in chicken drumsticks instead of thighs for a similar result.

• •

  Add a handful of pitted green olives to the sauce for extra brininess.

• •

  Serve with couscous instead of rice for a North African-leaning presentation.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions