Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs with Farro and Burst Cherry Tomatoes

Nutty farro and crispy chicken thighs pair beautifully with sweet, spicy roast tomatoes. Even someone who thinks they don’t like tomatoes might ask for seconds.

Over the next five days I’ll be sharing new recipes I developed for the Tabasco 10 Ingredient Challenge. The brief was to create five dishes using only ten ingredients: Tabasco Original Red Sauce, chicken, onion, whole or multi grains, canned beans, tomatoes, leafy greens, bacon, cheese, and dried fruit. Working within those limits pushed me to get creative, and I’m excited about the results.

This chicken and farro with burst tomatoes quickly became a favorite. The tomatoes are tossed with olive oil and Tabasco, roasted until they burst and become saucy, and develop concentrated sweet-spicy flavor. Paired with nutty farro and crisp-skinned roast chicken thighs, the combination is comforting, bright, and satisfying.

Chicken Thighs with Farro and Burst Tomatoes

I use quick-cooking farro (like the 10-minute par-cooked variety) for speed. If you use regular farro, follow the directions but don’t add the chicken back to the pan until later: increase the baking time to about 40 minutes, add the chicken after 20 minutes, and keep the tomatoes warm under foil while the chicken finishes cooking.

5 from 2 votes

Prep Time:
10 minutes

Cook Time:
30 minutes

Total Time:
40 minutes

Servings:
4

Author:
Lauren Keating

Ingredients

1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Tabasco® Original Red Sauce
4 bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced (about 1/4 cup)
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking farro
3 cups water
2 cups baby spinach

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
In a small baking dish, toss the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon Tabasco until evenly coated. Roast 10 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to burst.
While the tomatoes roast, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken skin-side down and cook about 8 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and crisp. Remove the chicken and set aside.
Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook in the chicken drippings until softened, about 3–4 minutes. Stir in the farro and water, then return the chicken to the pan, skin-side up.
Place the skillet in the oven alongside the baking dish with the tomatoes. Bake 20 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and both the farro and chicken are cooked through. Stir in the spinach and the roasted tomatoes before serving.
Serve with additional Tabasco to taste.

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Disclosure: I received monetary compensation to develop recipes as part of the Tabasco 10-Ingredient Challenge.