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Braised Catalina Chicken Recipe
Laura

Braised Catalina Chicken

Tender chicken braised in tangy Catalina-style red sauce with sweet red bell peppers and mushrooms. A perfect weeknight dinner that's ready in under an hour.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 485
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts trimmed
  • 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 8 ounces mushrooms quartered
  • 2 large red bell peppers cut into 1/4-inch strips
  • 1 large sweet onion diced
  • 1.25 cups chicken broth
  • 0.25 cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 0.5 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Equipment

  • Large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven
  • 9x13 inch baking dish
  • Mixing bowls
  • Whisk
  • Meat thermometer

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown for 5 minutes per side. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
  4. Add butter to skillet. Once melted, add mushrooms and cook 2 minutes until golden. Transfer to baking dish with chicken.
  5. Layer red bell pepper strips over chicken and mushrooms in the baking dish.
  6. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet with diced onion. Cook 5 minutes until tender.
  7. In a bowl, whisk together chicken broth, ketchup, tomato paste, honey, white wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, and chili powder.
  8. Sprinkle flour over onions and cook 1 minute. Slowly stir in broth mixture and cook 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.
  9. Pour sauce over chicken in baking dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
  10. Bake 35-45 minutes, basting halfway through, until chicken reaches 165°F internally.
  11. Remove foil, baste chicken with sauce, and bake uncovered 15 more minutes to caramelize peppers.
  12. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Spoon extra sauce over chicken.

Notes

  • For spicier version, add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or red pepper flakes to sauce
  • Chicken thighs stay juicier than breasts for this recipe
  • Can substitute yellow or orange bell peppers if red aren't available
  • Sauce thickens as it cools, so don't over-thicken during cooking