Chicken Puttanesca Bake | One Pot One Portion
This one pan chicken puttanesca bake is the perfect weeknight dinner. It’s got your protein, your fibre, your veggies and beans and most importantly it’s got flavour, plus there’s only one dish to wash up at the end. This specific recipe is one that actually benefitts from being made in one pot. You start by crisping up the chicken skin, until golden, then you lock in all that flavour by frying your veggies in the rendered fat. Olives, capers and anchovies give this its signature puttanesca flavour and I’ve added beans because I love them. The chicken thighs get nestled in again and everything is baked, before serving with sour cream and fresh basil. Truly the perfect dinner for one and one that I’ll be making again and again.
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This chicken puttanesca bake is a single-serve, one-pan dinner that brings bold Mediterranean flavours into an easy weeknight meal for one. Chicken thighs are first crisped skin-side down, then baked with tomatoes, olives, capers, anchovies and cannellini beans in the same dish. Designed as a one portion recipe, it delivers protein, fibre and vegetables in a deeply savoury, glossy sauce. The salty, punchy puttanesca flavours are balanced by creamy beans and finished with fresh basil. It’s practical for solo cooks because everything happens in one pan, with minimal prep and maximum flavour payoff.
Why You’ll Want to Make This Recipe
Single Serve
This recipe is perfectly portioned for one, so you get a proper, satisfying dinner without leftovers or food waste.
Quick & Easy
With simple chopping and hands-off oven time, it’s an ideal midweek dinner that feels generous but never fussy.
One Pot / One Pan Cooking
Crisping the chicken, building the sauce and baking all happen in the same dish, meaning fewer dishes and deeper flavour.
Comfort Factor
Warm, savoury and rich with umami, this is comfort food that still feels fresh and balanced.
Eleanor’s Top Tips for the Perfect Chicken Puttanesca Bake
- Use skin-on chicken thighs — the rendered fat is essential for flavour.
- Don’t rush the skin crisping stage; deep golden skin = better final texture.
- Finely dice the onion and pepper so they melt into the sauce rather than staying chunky.
- Anchovies should fully dissolve — if you can see them, keep cooking.
- Use the bean liquid from the tin; it thickens the sauce naturally.
- Taste before adding extra salt — olives, capers and anchovies all bring salt.
- Rest the dish for 5 minutes before serving to let the sauce settle.
Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need
Essential Ingredients
- Chicken thighs: Provide richness and stay juicy when baked.
- Cherry tomatoes: Add sweetness and acidity.
- White onion & red pepper: Form the flavour base.
- Garlic: Adds warmth and depth.
- Black olives: Classic puttanesca salinity.
- Capers + brine: Sharp, tangy bite that defines the dish.
- Anchovies: Melt into the sauce for umami richness.
- Cannellini beans: Add body, fibre and creaminess.
- Chilli flakes: Optional heat.
- Olive oil, salt, black pepper: For seasoning and cooking.
To Serve
- Sour cream or crème fraîche
- Fresh basil leaves
Essential Tools
- Small ovenproof dish (20–22cm)
- Knife and chopping board
- Spoon or spatula
Dietary Variations
Gluten-Free
Naturally gluten-free as written.
Dairy-Free
Skip the sour cream or replace with a dairy-free alternative.
Adding Protein
You can add extra chicken or stir through cooked prawns at the end if scaling slightly.
Different Beans or Vegetables
Butter beans or chickpeas work well. Courgette or aubergine can replace the pepper.
Lower Salt Option
Reduce olives and capers slightly and skip the anchovy brine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I make this without anchovies?
A: Yes, but the flavour will be less deep — add extra olives or a splash of soy sauce to compensate.
Q: What size dish works best for one portion?
A: A 20–22cm ovenproof dish allows the sauce to reduce without drying out.
Q: Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
A: You can, but reduce the bake time to avoid dryness and add extra olive oil.
Q: How do I store leftovers when cooking for one?
A: Store covered in the fridge for up to 2 days; reheat gently in the oven or microwave.
Q: Can I skip the beans?
A: Yes, but they add body and balance — without them, the dish will be more sauce-heavy.
This is proof that cooking for one doesn’t mean compromising — just one pan, big flavour, and a dinner that genuinely feels worth making.
Ingredients
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Chicken Thighs
90g Cherry Tomatoes, halved
1/2 White Onion, finely diced
1/2 Red Pepper, finely diced
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced or grated
10 Black Olives, halved
1 Tbsp of Capers (+1 Tbsp of Brine)
2 Anchovies
1/4 Tsp Chilli Flakes, optional)
1/2 Tin (200g) of Cannelini Beans including the water
Salt
Black Pepper
To serve
Sour Cream or Crème Fraîche
Fresh Basil Leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan.
- Add a little olive oil to a small ovenproof dish. Place the chicken thighs in the pan skin-side down.
- Place the pan on a medium-high heat and cook the chicken thighs for 8-10 minutes until the skin is golden and starts to crisp up. Once crisp, remove from the pan and place on a plate.
- Add the onion and peppers to the pan and fry for 4-5 minutes until slightly soft. Add the garlic, capers and brine, olives, anchovies and chilli (if using) to the pan and fry for another 3-4 minutes until the anchovies have broken down. Season with salt and pepper.
- Next, add the tomatoes and beans (including the water) and stir together. Nestle the chicken thighs back on top of the beans now (skin side up) and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. The chicken should be golden and crisp, and fully cooked, and the beans and tomatoes should have softened and reduced slightly.
- Serve topped with the fresh basil leaves and a spoonful of sour cream.
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Great present! Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you eating!
Great present! Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you
Follow Eleanor on socials and knew I NEEDED this book immediately! SO glad I paid extra and had it shipped from the UK (to US). Eleanor's voice is loud and clear in every recipe. The pictures are beautiful, the instructions are perfectly clear, and I want to make EVERYTHING. I cannot recommend this book enough!
This recipe book is stunning and fulfils its role brilliantly in catering for individuals who want to eat delicious meals, but don't want to prepare family sized portions or devote their entire evening to cooking. Who'd believe you could make an entire roast for one person and only use one pan in the process! She is a genius and I couldn't recommend this book any more highly.
One of the best things about the book is that all the recipes are actually cooked in one pot - in a lot of other so-called books you still have to make your side dish in a separate pot. With these recipes, even if they include rice or pasta, it's all cooked together. No mountains of washing up!
This is the book I've been waiting for! I (very happily!) live alone, love to cook and read cookery books, but every recipe is for two people or more. This gorgeous book contains recipes perfectly proportioned for one person (and I'm always a very hungry one person!) which ensures more variety, less food waste, and pure, gluttonous joy.
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This book is like having all your favourite foods in one place with the added bonus of an old friend showing you the ropes. Congratulations Eleanor when can I pre-order the next one?