This Aleppo pepper braised chicken comes together with just a few ingredients in about an hour. It’s easy, tasty, and goes perfectly with mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables.
It’s no secret that I love Aleppo pepper, and I always keep a few extra on hand because I hate running out. I use it on everything from Aleppo pepper shrimp to fried eggs to sweet potatoes.
What is Aleppo pepper:
Aleppo pepper is produced from the Syrian Halaby pepper and is typically found coarsely ground. Unlike crushed red pepper, Aleppo pepper is created from semi-dried peppers, which gives it a different texture than the fully-dried crushed red pepper. Contributing to this unique texture is the very high oil content of the Halaby pepper. The flavor profile is complex, fruity, a little tangy, and a little smoky.
Burlap & Barrel sources a botanically identical pepper from Turkey and calls the spice Silk Chili instead. It is completely interchangeable with Aleppo pepper.
Aleppo pepper substitute
You can find Aleppo pepper online or in some grocery stores. I love Morton & Basset and Villa Jerada brands of Aleppo pepper flakes.
If you can’t find Aleppo pepper, here’s how I recommend substituting it:
- Sweet paprika
- Smoked paprika
- Cayenne
I recommend keeping the ratio almost 3:1 when it comes to the sweet and smoked paprika. The cayenne is really just there to taste. Use about 2½ teaspoons of sweet paprika, ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika, and just a pinch of cayenne.
How to make this Aleppo pepper braised chicken
Fortunately, this Aleppo pepper chicken recipe is as easy as anything to make, and you only need a few ingredients.
What you need
- Chicken: I used chicken leg quarters, but bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs will work. You can also use drumsticks if you like! The cooking time may need to be adjusted depending on what kind of chicken you use. I don’t recommend boneless chicken for this recipe.
- Aleppo pepper: You can buy it online or use the substitution guide I shared above!
- Sauce: The sauce is just chicken stock, honey, and Dijon mustard.
- Fresh thyme: I add a few sprigs of fresh thyme right before baking, but you can add a teaspoon of dry thyme instead.
How to make it
- Step 1: Rub the chicken all over with Aleppo pepper, salt, and pepper.
- Step 2: Fry the chicken in a little olive oil until well browned. Whisk together the sauce ingredients as the skin crisps up in the skillet.
- Step 3: Flip the chicken so that it is skin-side up. Pour the sauce around the chicken and bring to a boil. Add the thyme sprigs.
- Step 4: Pop the skillet into the oven and bake for about 40–45 minutes until the chicken reaches 165ºF. After it bakes, you can broil the skin for a minute or two to further crisp the skin.
- Step 5: You’re ready to serve! Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and spoon the sauce around.
That’s it! You can serve the chicken with your favorite side dish, like roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, or pearl couscous.
I hope you loved this recipe as much as I did! If you make it, be sure to rate the recipe and drop a comment below to let me know what you think. I’d love to hear from you!
Aleppo Pepper Braised Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds chicken leg quarters or use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper (see note)
- 1¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups chicken stock, warmed in the microwave or on the stovetop
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 3 sprigs thyme or 1 teaspoon dry thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the chicken:
- Preheat oven to 400ºF.
- Combine the Aleppo pepper, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Pat the chicken dry and rub the Aleppo pepper mixture all over the chicken.
Brown the chicken:
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook for 4–5 minutes until the skin is browned and crisp. Flip and cook 2–3 minutes more.
Make the sauce:
- Whisk the Dijon mustard and honey into the warm chicken stock.
Braise the chicken:
- Pour the sauce around the chicken and bring to a boil. Add the thyme sprigs. Remove from the heat and transfer to the oven. Bake for 40–45 minutes, uncovered, or until the chicken reaches 165ºF. The liquid should be reduced by about half.
Broil the skin (optional):
- Turn the broiler on. Broil the tops of the chicken to crisp up the skin for about 1–2 minutes. Remove from the oven. Discard the spent thyme sprigs.
To serve:
- Arrange the chicken on a serving platter. Spoon the sauce around the chicken. Serve with roasted vegetables or mashed potatoes. Enjoy!
looks so good!
Thank you! 🙂
This has become my favorite method of cooking chicken thighs. I used to be very averse to bone-in and skin-on, but this recipe has made me a fan. I don’t have Aleppo pepper, so I end up using the smoked paprika mixture, but it still makes the chicken skin so tasty. I also have used Mike’s Hot Honey instead of regular honey which adds a nice little punch. The chicken has turned out really juicy and delicious each time.
I’m so happy to hear that, Kristen! Hot Honey sounds like a game-changer for this; I’ll have to try it!
Just tried this tonight. Even though it’s super simple, there was tons of flavor. I used chicken thighs and they came out super moist and tender. Also, I used Silk Chili from Burlap & Barrel. Even though it seems like the result would be very spicy due to how much chili is in it, I wouldn’t consider it spicy at all. Just has the lovely flavors from the silk chili but not much heat. Highly recommend!
So happy you enjoyed it — thank you for the comment!