Chicken Escabeche with Jalapeños, Golden Raisins and Mint

A skillet with chicken escabeche sits on a wooden surface. A sliver spoon is in the pan on the right side. Garlic, golden raisins and jalapeños can be seen in the escabeche sauce, and the dish is garnished with fresh mint.

Chicken Escabeche with Jalapeños, Golden Raisins and Mint

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Spanish

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose

Keyword: chicken escabeche

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 45

Servings: people

Calories: 754kcal

This chicken escabeche has every flavor you want for a satisfying meal - tart, sweet, spicy, tangy, and fresh. It's an easy chicken thighs recipe that works for weeknight dinners or fancy dinner parties.

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Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken Escabeche Recipe

6 - 8 chicken thighs
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground coriander
⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
1 carrot peeled and chopped
6 garlic cloves smashed
1 bay leaf
⅔ cup sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
½ cup water
1 jalapeño pepper thinly sliced
½ cup golden raisins
¾ cup mint leaves
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Put the raisins in a non-reactive heatproof bowl. Slice jalapeños, place them in the bowl with the raisins and set aside.
Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides and under the skin. Pat skin dry and set aside.
Place a large, wide, ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Toast the cumin seeds and coriander, just until fragrant and spices have bloomed, about 1 minute.
Add ⅓ cup olive oil and combine with spices. Stir in carrots, onion and garlic cloves, and cook until the onions are translucent, but not browned. 5 – 8 minutes.
Add the vinegar, water, and bay leaf and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer about 1 minute.
Remove bay leaf and pour the mixture into the bowl with the jalapeños and raisins. Stir to combine.
Wipe the skillet clean and place over medium heat, add 2 tablespoon olive oil. When oil is hot, place chicken skin side down. It’s best to work in batches of 3 – 4 pieces of chicken at a time. Once skin is crispy, after about 8 minutes, flip over and cook an additional minute or so on the other side. Set chicken aside.
Return the vinegar mixture to the pan, stirring around and scraping up any bits of fond on the bottom of the pan. Nestle all of the chicken back into the pan, and place in the oven uncovered for about 15 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
Remove from oven, allow the chicken to cool for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle the mint on top and serve.

Notes

If you haven't tried sherry vinegar, I really recommend it for this recipe. It has a distinct flavor that lends itself well to the other bright and bold flavors in the dish. It really gives it the flavor of Spain. It's also great for making bistro-style salad dressings. Try it!

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