Chicken is such a good meat to have around, relatively cheap to buy and super healthy too. Not only that, it is just so damn versatile, you can create everything from a simple roast dinner to curries, casseroles, soups, kebabs, pates, terrines and salads. Here is a super easy and tasty recipe for Basque Chicken inspired by the northern region of Spain.
Red peppers, yellow peppers, onions, olives, garlic and thyme bring together succulent chicken thighs alongside tomatoes, a little dash of sherry, the punch of smoked paprika and a sprinkling of fresh parsley. This is simple food, hearty and filling food and the perfect dish to throw together and just leave it to simmer away and do its stuff while you get on with life however you fancy!
This Basque Chicken dish is as rich in colour as it is in flavour. Serve it with simple boiled basmati rice or quinoa and make sure you have some good rustic bread on hand to mop up that delicious sauce.
I’ve used four chicken thighs for this recipe to give two large servings, you could just as easily use chicken quarters instead or even legs.
I’ve used dry sherry in my recipe, I tend to keep both sherry and vermouth handy in the kitchen as they can ramp up so many different types of dishes both savoury and sweet. Resist temptation to glug the lot while cooking, but always buy something you would drink yourself and never think of booze you use in the kitchen as ‘cooking’ sherry etc and use the cheapest – believe me you will taste the difference.
Karon x
Basque Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 chicken thighs
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 1 large clove garlic minced
- 1/2 red bell pepper sliced
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper sliced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 200 g/7oz can chopped tomatoes
- small glass sherry
- 1/2 cup olives stoned and halved
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh flat leaf parsley
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pan and sear the chicken on both sides. Do not move for 1 minute to form a crust then tiurn after 2 mins and do other side. Remove chicken from pan.
- Add the onion to the pan and cook for 4 minutes before adding the garlic and sliced peppers.
- Add the paprika and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Return chicken to the pan and add the tinned tomatoes and sherry.
- Cover and simmer 30 minutes.
- Add the olives during last 10 minutes of cooking time and season to taste.
- Serve sprinkled with flat leaf parsley alongside some basmati rice.
Notes
We made this a few nights ago and really enjoyed it, we’re making it again tonight!
A few things we noticed about the recipe though is that it never specifies when or how much salt to add, and it never specifies when to add the thyme. We generously salted and peppered the chicken before browning it, then added a quarter tsp salt at a time at the end until it was seasoned to our tastes. And we used fresh thyme and added it at the same time as the olives.
Love the recipe, it’s going to be a part of our regular rotation now!
I never specify how much salt to use as it is purely a matter of personal taste. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe.
K x