This is a fantastic autumn dish from The Glorious Soups and Stews of Italy by Domenica Marchetti, and is perfect for when the weather turns colder and the sun begins to set much earlier after turning back the clocks. Nothing beats a long-braising dish as the leaves are falling - even the introductory note to this dish makes you hungry just reading it:
Meaty chicken thighs are simmered to tender succulence in a lush, spicy sauce of onions, tomatoes and anchovies. Why thighs? Because they have lots of flavor and can stand up to long simmering without losing moisture. As for the anchovies, I won't even try to make a plea in their defense; I don't believe they need one. They are a staple in southern Italian cooking and I wouldn't think of making this dish without them.
The author calls for removing the chicken skin after browning the thighs, which certainly lowers the fat content of the dish, and then simmering them in a Dutch oven for 90 minutes. I altered this dish slightly by using thighs on the bone and cooking them for an additional 30 minutes or so, and the results were stellar.
Serve it over polenta with a hearty southern Italian red wine like a Nero d'Avola. One tip would be to make a big batch (I cooked 10 thighs) since there is little incremental work required - leftovers can be frozen or used throughout the week over pasta or as a topping for pizza. Enjoy!
