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Chicken braised with artichokes, saffron and lemon

By: Letitia Clark

Published: 9 May 25
Updated: 9 May 25

Chicken braised with artichokes, saffron and lemon

This recipe from food writer Letitia Clark sees chicken braised in white wine with artichokes, saffron and lemon. An easy, one-pot dinner that tastes of sunshine. Recipe taken from For the Love of Lemons by Letitia Clark (Quadrille £28). Photography by Charlotte Bland.

Flavour-packed ingredients: “A dish with Moroccan Jewish origins, this is a combination of three of my most favourite ingredients: chicken, artichokes and lemon,” says Letitia. “The original recipe also contained cinnamon, but I prefer it without. The saffron provides a subtle, almost sweet and honey-fragrant undernote that works well to counterbalance the sharpness of the lemon.”
Satisfying yet fresh: Leticia describes the recipe as “being both deeply savoury and rich, and light and fresh, at the same time.” Ideal for spring and summer Sunday lunches.
Flexible recipe: “You can use chicken thighs for this or whole legs, depending on preference. Allow a leg or thigh per person.”
Serving suggestions: “Serve with good bread, olive oil-roasted potatoes or a bitter leaf salad. Or all three.”

Discover more epic one-pot chicken recipes.

Easy
Online only 2025

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4
Prep time 15 min. Cook time 50 min

Flavour-packed ingredients: “A dish with Moroccan Jewish origins, this is a combination of three of my most favourite ingredients: chicken, artichokes and lemon,” says Letitia. “The original recipe also contained cinnamon, but I prefer it without. The saffron provides a subtle, almost sweet and honey-fragrant undernote that works well to counterbalance the sharpness of the lemon.”
Satisfying yet fresh: Leticia describes the recipe as “being both deeply savoury and rich, and light and fresh, at the same time.” Ideal for spring and summer Sunday lunches.
Flexible recipe: “You can use chicken thighs for this or whole legs, depending on preference. Allow a leg or thigh per person.”
Serving suggestions: “Serve with good bread, olive oil-roasted potatoes or a bitter leaf salad. Or all three.”

Discover more epic one-pot chicken recipes.

Nutrition: Per serving

Calories: 478kcals
Fat: 32g (6.9g saturated)
Protein: 29g
Carbohydrates: 5.1g (4.2g sugars)
Fibre: 4.2g
Salt: 0.3g

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Before you start

Learn how to prepare globe artichokes with our guide. If you aren’t up to preparing fresh artichokes yourself, the delicious. food team are big fans of tinned hearts in water. You can also get prepared frozen artichoke hearts from Ocado.

Before you start

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs or legs
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
240 ml dry white wine (I use Vernaccia; dry sherry would also be good)
120 ml chicken stock or water
1 onion, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
Large pinch saffron threads
Large handful (25g) parsley, roughly chopped
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
6-8 artichokes, prepped down to the hearts, then halved

Method

Season the chicken pieces with salt. Warm half the oil in a heavy-based sauté pan or casserole dish and brown the chicken pieces, skin-side down first. Without crowding the pan, aim to get a good light brown colour all over, then remove the pieces and set aside.
Deglaze the pan with a little of the wine or stock, scrape up all the good brown bits and save this liquid for later. Wipe out the pan briefly with a paper towel and place back over a low heat.
Warm the remaining oil in the same pan. Sauté the onion, garlic and saffron for 10-15 minutes until totally soft and translucent. Add half the chopped parsley and continue to cook for a few minutes. Add the lemon pieces and the artichokes and sauté for a minute or two longer, then add back in the chicken pieces (skin-side up) with the wine, the reserved juices and the stock or water. Cover partially and cook for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is tender (the juices should run clear when the thickest part is pierced with a sharp knife) and the sauce is nicely reduced. Taste and check for seasoning, adding more salt if necessary. Serve with the remaining chopped parsley on top.