Grandma's Chicken Thighs Sauce and Peas

I just love to make recipes that remind me of my grandmother Victoria. Her chicken thighs sauce and peas were the best!

An easy depression food back in the 1960s, now a gourmet comfort food for me.

The secret to this dish is to saute the chicken on both sides first then add the tomatoes fresh or canned, peppers and peas last let the sauce thicken first.

The chicken melts in your mouth with a delicious tomato wine sauce and peas sticking to each delectable piece.

Dad managed to duplicate the exact flavors of her chicken meal and after years of practice, I finally nailed it too.

Although a vintage dish, it's still a family favorite we make often and so easy.

We love all chicken dishes and another favorite is Marry Me Chicken and her Oven Baked Chicken two other recipes you may like to try.

Scroll down to the bottom of the recipe card for this great vintage recipe.

Grandma Made The Best Stews

Years ago Grandma, my dad's mom, lived with us for a long while as I was growing up.


I often watched her cook and study her ingredients.


I could remember these chicken thighs and most of the time, wings, she made them always with sauce and peas.


The taste is etched in my mind, boy the taste was superb.

Ingredients You Will Need recipe card below has exact measurements

• chicken parts, we used wings or thighs
• peas fresh, canned or frozen, note: (or use chickpeas, white large kidney beans, or another bean you prefer)
• garlic
• salt, pepper
• peppers
• plum tomatoes (you can use a good grade name brand of canned also)
• tomato paste
• olive oil
• Optional: cayenne pepper for heat

Cooking Methods

1. Stovetop: cast-iron or porcelain cast iron pan
2. Dutch Oven: use for oven baking method
3. Instant Pot: Sear chicken first then use the pressure cooker mode for 45 minutes or refer to your instruction booklet
4. Slow Cooker: brown the meat first on the stovetop, set the slow cooker for 6 hours on low

Note: Although this recipe was only made on the stovetop, through modern technology I have tried every method of cooking, cast iron on the stovetop is still my first choice.

Tips

• Use bone-in chicken parts
• Cook low and slow
• Always use fresh ingredients for herbs
• Fresh plum tomatoes make a big difference in flavor
• Use leftover sauce and debone the chicken for another meal
• Always brown the chicken first
• Cast iron skillets and saucepans were used back in the 1960s
• Serving suggestions sop up the sauce with hard-crusted Italian bread, over pasta, rice, or even a baked potato
• Substitute peas for another vegetable IE zucchini, white beans, chickpeas, etc.

Other Recipes To Try

Chicken Francese


Baked Taste Like Fried Lemon Chicken Cutlets


Bundt Pan Roasted Chicken

Grandma's Chicken Thighs Sauce and Peas Pin for later

Old Fashioned Recipes:

This recipe is over 100 years old and even though Grandma passed on in 1976, I still make this in her memory and it remains a family favorite.


We have many economical meals to stretch your budget, vintage, delicious and easy to make so check out my One Pan Meal recipes also.

Grandma's Chicken Thighs Sauce and Peas

Yield: 6

Author: Claudia Lamascolo

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 15 M

This is a vintage recipe for Chicken in tomato Sauce with Peas and Peppers stovetop, slow cooker or instant pot methods

Ingredients

• 2 bell peppers cut in strips (optional)
• 2 cans peas or 2 cups fresh peas (or use chickpeas, white large kidney beans, or another bean you prefer)
• 12 fresh plum tomatoes crushed or use 1 large 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon chopped parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• pinch of cayenne
• 1/2 cup white wine, water or apple juice
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• extra virgin olive oil
• 6 to 8 fresh bone-in chicken thighs, wings, or legs
• 1 fresh basil leaf
• Optional additions: 1 small sliced onion, 8 ounces of fresh sliced mushrooms
• If you would like a stew then you can also add finger carrots, cubed potatoes, zucchini cubed, green beans, cubed eggplant

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, saute the chicken in 3 tablespoons of olive oil till golden brown on each side for around 4 minutes on both sides.
2. Add the garlic and saute for two minutes then stir in the tomato paste.
3. Add the peppers.
4. Mix in the tomatoes, wine, spices, herbs onions, and anything else except peas that you are using.
5. Simmer on low for at least 1 hour or more on the stovetop, till sauce thickens and stirring occasionally.
6. Around 20 minutes before the sauce is completed stir in the peas.
7. Notes: See notes below for other cooking methods
8. For serving suggestions: you can use boneless chicken if you prefer and this can be served over rice, pasta, and hard-crusted Italian bread.

Notes:

Tips

• Use bone-in chicken parts
• Cook low and slow
• Always use fresh ingredients for herbs
• Fresh plum tomatoes make a big difference in flavor
• Use leftover sauce and debone the chicken for another meal
• Always brown the chicken first
• Cast iron skillets and saucepans were used back in the 1960s
• Serving suggestions sop up the sauce with hard-crusted Italian bread, over pasta, rice or even a baked potato

Cooking Methods

1. Stovetop: cast-iron or porcelain cast iron pan
2. Dutch Oven: use for oven baking method
3. Instant Pot: Sear chicken first then use the pressure cooker mode for 45 minutes or refer to your instruction booklet
4. Slow Cooker: brown the meat first on the stovetop, set the slow cooker for 6 hours on low

Note: Although this recipe was only made on the stovetop, through modern technology I have tried every method of cooking, cast iron on the stovetop is still my first choice.

Similar Recipes

Marry Me Chicken

1950s Style Church Chicken

Baked Chicken Zucchini Tomato Casserole

Oven Fried Chicken

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Italian

Grandma's Chicken Thighs Sauce and Peas Pin for later

Try my other favorite Chicken Recipes:

Slow Cooker Cacciatore


Parmesan Crusted Thighs with Peppers