Dinner

Chicken in Pepitoria Sauce

Name: Chicken in Pepitoria Sauce
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 75 min
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 1 pinch saffron; 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 6 cloves garlic; 35g almonds, blanched; 30g bread, stale; 2 tbsp parsley, chopped; 8 chicken thighs; 1 onion, chopped; 1 carrot, chopped; 1 celery, chopped; 250ml dry sherry; 350ml chicken stock; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 pinch cloves; 2 bay leaves; 2 eggs; 2 tbsp almonds, in pieces; salt, some; black pepper, some

Spanish chicken thighs braised in sherry, saffron, and stock, finished with a rich almond, bread, and egg-yolk sauce.

1 hr 15 min
780 kcal
Spanish

Mellowpan tip: Makes 4 servings, so there’s room for leftovers. Plan them into your week.

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Ingredients

For 4 servings

Steps

Step 1:
Put the saffron in a small bowl with 75ml of just-boiled water.
Step 2:
Stir the saffron water and set aside.
Step 3:
Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a broad, shallow casserole dish.
Step 4:
Cook the garlic until pale gold.
Step 5:
Add the blanched almonds and bread, then fry until everything is golden.
Step 6:
Transfer the garlic, almonds, and bread to a food processor with salt, pepper, and the chopped parsley.
Step 7:
Process until combined into an almond mixture.
Step 8:
Heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in the pan.
Step 9:
Brown the chicken all over, seasoning as it cooks.
Step 10:
Transfer the chicken to a bowl and set aside.
Step 11:
Remove all but about 2 tbsp of chicken fat from the pan.
Step 12:
Cook the onion, carrot, and celery in the pan until golden.
Step 13:
Add the sherry and stir to dislodge any browned bits stuck to the pan.
Step 14:
Pour in the chicken stock and the saffron with its soaking water.
Step 15:
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Step 16:
Add the cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaves.
Step 17:
Return the chicken and any juices to the pan.
Step 18:
Season, cover, and cook gently for about 40 minutes.
40 min
Step 19:
Transfer the chicken to a bowl, leaving the sauce in the pan, and cover the chicken with foil to keep warm.
Step 20:
Separate the egg yolks from the whites and roughly chop the whites.
Step 21:
Mash the egg yolks in a small bowl.
Step 22:
Gradually mix a couple of tablespoons of the sauce into the mashed yolks.
Step 23:
Bring the remaining sauce to the boil and reduce slightly, until it will just coat the chicken.
Step 24:
Reduce the heat and remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick.
Step 25:
Add the egg yolks and cook for a few minutes until the sauce thickens.
Step 26:
Stir in the prepared almond mixture.
Step 27:
Return the chicken to the pan and heat for about 3 minutes, spooning the sauce over it.
3 min
Step 28:
Season to taste.
Step 29:
Scatter over the extra parsley, almond pieces, and chopped egg whites, if using.
Step 30:
Serve straight from the dish, optionally with rice.