You will need a wide, lidded braiser or other ovenproof pot to make this dish. If you don’t have a lidded pan, use tinfoil. This chicken dish may also be cooked stovetop, over medium heat.

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C

Place the pan over a burner and turn the heat to low. Add the olive oil and white wine. Toss in the shallots, or whatever onions you’re using, the garlic, and the carrots. Let them cook a little while you deal with the chicken thighs.

Tear the skins off the thighs, as discussed in the post. Wash your hands well, then either roughly chop the chicken into messy pieces or use a scissors to cut the thighs into chunks. Include the bone. Toss the chunks into the pot. Wash your hands and the utensils in hot soapy water.

Now add the chickpeas to the pot, along with the tomatoes. Give everything a stir.

Add the salt, pepper, fennel seeds, and hot pepper flakes, if using.

Toss in the bay leaf.

Put the lid on the pot and put it in the oven for at least an hour. If cooking the chicken stovetop, increase the heat to medium. You want a nice simmer but not a high boil.

The dish is done when the chicken is cooked through, tender, and juices run clear. The carrots should also be tender.

You can remove any chicken adhering to the bones before serving, or rely on the diners to do this. I remove it before serving.

Serve chicken with chickpeas in tomato sauce with a green salad and bread. Or serve over rice, couscous, or farro.

Refrigerate leftovers up to four days. Do not freeze.

Notes:

The chicken may be prepared stovetop if you prefer. The cooking time may be increased; place the pan over medium heat. Cover with a lid or foil and simmer for at least an hour, testing a piece of chicken at the hour point. If it isn’t cooked through, test after ten more minutes. Depending on your pan and heat, it could take up to 90 minutes.

The dish may be prepared with boneless chicken thighs or breasts. If you use these cuts, decrease cooking times accordingly. I have never seen bone-in, skinless chicken pieces, which is why I suggest using bone-in cuts and discarding the skin here. If you can buy skinless parts with the bone in, use those.

Theme and Variation

Chicken with Chickpeas and Tomato sauce may endlessly tinkered with to good effect. Consider other seasoning profiles: garam masala, chaat masala, coriander seeds, cumin, paprika–both hot and sweet-tumeric, and more hot pepper.

Add a tablespoon of tomato paste to the dish, or, in season, add sliced fresh tomatoes to the pan.

A slug of liquor also changes flavor, to good effect: Marsala, brandy, Calvados, Armaganac, even Vodka.

With the arrival of spring come spring onions, and even better, spring garlic, which is more delicate than its summer and fall cousins.

A spoonful of dairy is nice, too, but add it off heat, lest it split. Off heat, stir in a good tablespoon of yogurt, sour cream, or creme fraiche. Too bland? Hot pepper fixes damned near everything, albeit temporarily.

Fresh herbs shouldn’t be overlooked, either: a few leaves of torn mint or cilantro may be just what the dish needs. Parsley never goes amiss.

The variations are endless, and delicious, which is why chicken is such a beloved food.