Pollo al Chilindrón

Ingredients

Instructions

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •For a more traditional flavor, use jamón serrano rather than cured smoked ham; it gives saltiness and depth without making the stew heavy.
• •Chicken thighs stay juicier than breast in this quick braise and are the best choice for a 45-minute version.
• •If you do not want to use wine, replace it with 60 ml chicken stock; the flavor will be slightly less bright.
• •This dish is naturally gluten-free, but it is not strictly paleo because of the cured ham and wine; it is the most authentic version of the classic.

Background