- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and halved
- 2 red bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup halved pitted black olives
- 4 tablespoons dry white wine
- 1/2 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade
- 1 lemon, finely zested
- Salt and fresh-ground pepper
- Fresh thyme sprigs
- Lemon wedges
- Place the flour and dried thyme in a large plastic bag and season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken thighs to the bag, a few at a time, and shake until they are lightly and evenly coated; shake off any excess coating. Transfer the chicken pieces to a plate. Heat the oven to its lowest setting.
- Heat a large, heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the thighs, smooth side down, and saute, moving them around occasionally to prevent them from sticking, until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes. (If the pan is not large enough to hold the thighs in a single layer, fry them in batches.)
- Turn the thighs over and saute until the juices run clear when they are pierced with a knife, about 8 minutes longer. Transfer the cooked thighs to a heatproof platter lined with a double thickness of paper towels, then place the platter in the oven to keep warm.
- Pour off any excess oil from the pan, leaving just a thin film. Add the garlic and saute 10 seconds. Add the halved artichokes and sliced red bell peppers and saute until the bell peppers are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the black olive halves.
- Add the wine and leave to bubble, stirring, until it evaporates. Stir in the stock and lemon zest, bring to a boil, and boil until reduced by about half. Season to taste.
- Transfer the chicken thighs to serving plates and spoon the artichoke and pepper mixture alongside. Garnish with thyme sprigs and lemon wedges, and serve.