Pollo al Chilindrón

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven grill or broiler to high. Halve and deseed the red bell pepper, then grill skin-side up for 8-10 minutes until blistered and charred. Transfer to a bowl, cover for 5 minutes to steam, then peel and cut into strips. Meanwhile, finely slice the onion, mince the garlic, and grate or finely chop the tomatoes.

   180 g red bell pepper120 g onion10 g garlic cloves250 g ripe tomatoes, grated or finely chopped
2. 2

   Pat the chicken dry and season it evenly with the salt and black pepper. Drying well helps the skin brown rather than steam.

   500 g bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs5 g fine sea salt1 g black pepper
3. 3

   Heat 20 ml olive oil in a wide sauté pan or shallow casserole over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken thighs skin-side down first for 5-6 minutes, then turn and brown the second side for 3 minutes. The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this stage. Remove to a plate.

   20 ml olive oil500 g bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
4. 4

   Lower the heat to medium. Add the diced jamón serrano and cook for 1 minute to render a little fat. Add the remaining 10 ml olive oil if the pan looks dry, then add the onion and cook for 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and smoked paprika for 30 seconds, just until fragrant; do not let the paprika scorch.

   50 g jamón serrano, diced10 ml olive oil120 g onion10 g garlic cloves2 g sweet smoked paprika
5. 5

   Add the tomatoes and bay leaf. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomato loses its raw smell and the sauce thickens slightly. Pour in the white wine and simmer for 1 minute to cook off the harsh alcohol.

   250 g ripe tomatoes, grated or finely chopped1 bay leaf60 ml dry white wine
6. 6

   Return the chicken and any collected juices to the pan, nestling in the roasted pepper strips. Cover and simmer gently for 12-15 minutes, turning the chicken once, until the meat is fully cooked and reaches 75°C at the thickest part near the bone. Uncover for the last 2-3 minutes if you want the sauce slightly more reduced.

   500 g bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs180 g red bell pepper
7. 7

   Discard the bay leaf, taste the sauce, and adjust with a little extra salt only if needed, since the jamón is salty. Rest the dish off the heat for 2 minutes, then sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve hot with plenty of sauce.

   1 bay leaf5 g flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Origin & History

Pollo al Chilindrón is a classic dish associated especially with Aragón, though versions also appear in neighboring regions of northern Spain. Its defining combination of chicken, peppers, tomato, onion, garlic, and cured ham reflects the produce and pantry staples of inland Spanish cooking. The name 'chilindrón' refers to the rich pepper-and-tomato sauce rather than a single fixed formula.