Neil Perry's braised chicken with olives and almonds

Name: Neil Perry's braised chicken with olives and almonds
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 6 free-range chicken marylands; 80ml extra virgin olive oil; 1 brown onion, roughly chopped; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; 3 tsp smoky sweet paprika; sea salt; 1 red capsicum, sliced; 250ml dry sherry; 400g can peeled tomatoes, roughly chopped; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 125g green olives, pitted and halved; ¼ cup blanched almonds, lightly toasted; 1 large handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped; juice of 1 lemon; freshly ground black pepper

Neil Perry

Updated April 24, 2019,first published April 15, 2019

Braised chicken, pictured on a bed of polenta. William Meppem

easyTime:1-2 hoursServes:4

This dish is perfect served with steamed rice or a bowl of soft polenta. And it makes the best leftovers – simply reheat or use as filling for a jaffle.

Ingredients

6 free-range chicken marylands
80ml extra virgin olive oil
1 brown onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tsp smoky sweet paprika
sea salt
1 red capsicum, sliced
250ml dry sherry
400g can peeled tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
125g green olives, pitted and halved
¼ cup blanched almonds, lightly toasted
1 large handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
juice of 1 lemon
freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Put the chicken on a chopping board and separate the thighs from the drumsticks. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and add the chicken in batches. Cook over medium heat for four minutes, turning until browned on all sides, then remove.
2. Add the onion, garlic, two teaspoons of the paprika, a pinch of sea salt and the capsicum. Cook for five to eight minutes, or until soft.
3. Add the sherry and cook for two minutes, or until slightly reduced and the alcohol is burned off. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste, stir well and cook for two minutes.
4. Return the chicken to the pan and add 250ml water. Gently simmer, covered, for one hour, then uncover and cook for 15 minutes. Add the olives, almonds and parsley, cook for a further minute, then remove from the heat.
5. Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining paprika, squeeze lemon juice over and give a good grind of pepper. Divide among four bowls and serve over soft polenta or steamed rice.
Find more of Neil Perry's recipes in the Good Food Favourite Recipes cookbook.

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