Braised Catalina Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken thighs braised in a sweet-tangy Catalina dressing with vegetables for a flavorful main.

# What You'll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (approximately 2 pounds)

→ 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 tablespoons ketchup
09 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
10 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
11 - 1 teaspoon paprika
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

14 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F.
02 - Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides 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 to 4 minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook 2 additional minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
04 - In the same pan, add onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables are softened.
05 - In a bowl, whisk together Catalina dressing, chicken broth, ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce until well combined.
06 - Return chicken to the pan, arranging pieces over the sautéed vegetables. Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the chicken.
07 - Cover pan with lid or foil. Transfer to preheated oven and braise for 25 minutes.
08 - Uncover pan and cook for an additional 10 minutes to allow sauce to thicken and chicken skin 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 creates this incredible sticky glaze that people will think took hours to master
  • Its one of those forgiving dishes that actually tastes better the next day
02 -
  • Dont skip the searing step because it creates the fond that gives the sauce depth
  • The sauce will look thin when you pour it in but it thickens beautifully as it braises
03 -
  • Use a light colored pan so you can see when the sauce has caramelized properly
  • If the sauce reduces too much during braising, add a few tablespoons of water

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