Braised Catalina Chicken Main Dish (Printable)

Tender chicken thighs braised in a sweet tangy sauce with vegetables, creating a flavorful main dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lbs)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 large onion, thinly sliced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
04 - 1 green bell pepper, sliced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce

06 - 1 cup Catalina salad dressing
07 - 1/2 cup chicken broth
08 - 2 tbsp ketchup
09 - 2 tbsp brown sugar
10 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
11 - 1 tsp paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp salt
13 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

→ Garnish

14 - Fresh parsley, chopped

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F.
02 - Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels; season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
03 - Heat a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs, skin side down, and sear for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook another 2 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
04 - In the same pan, add onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened.
05 - In a bowl, mix Catalina dressing, chicken broth, ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce.
06 - Return chicken to the pan, arranging over the vegetables. Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the chicken.
07 - Cover with lid or foil and transfer to preheated oven. Braise for 25 minutes.
08 - Uncover and cook for an additional 10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken and chicken to brown.
09 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce develops into this incredible sticky glaze that makes the chicken taste like it came from a fancy restaurant
  • Everything cooks in one pan, so you get maximum flavor with practically zero cleanup
02 -
  • Patting the chicken completely dry before searing is the difference between nicely browned skin and pale rubbery skin
  • The uncovered final 10 minutes of cooking is crucial, so don't skip it or your sauce will be too thin
03 -
  • Letting the chicken rest before serving gives the sauce time to thicken slightly as it cools
  • Use a paper towel to wipe excess oil from the pan after searing if you want to reduce the grease