Chicken and red pepper stew

This is a traditional Spanish chicken dish.  The ingredients are nearly always available and so it can be made at any time of year.  It required no esoteric ingredients.

Serve as a lunch or supper dish.  It can also be served as a tapas dish.

Preparation Time: 10 Mins

Cooking Time: 1 Hr

Total Time: 70 Mins

Ingredients

For 4 servings…

1                    Chicken  - jointed     

                     Pepper  - freshly ground, black  

                     Salt          

100 ml             Olive oil     

7 cloves           Garlic  - sliced thinly  

1                    Pepper  - red - sliced thinly      

1                    Onion  - sliced thinly 

100 gms           Serrano ham           

2                    Bay leaves  

5                    Tomatoes  - chopped 

200 ml             Wine  - dry white     

Method

Season the chicken joints well with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan over a high heat and add the chicken pieces.  Fry on all sides until golden brown, remove from the pan and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium and, in the same oil, fry the garlic, red pepper, onion and serrano ham.  Cook for 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent.  Add the bay leaves and tomatoes and cook for a further 10 minutes until the sauce us rich.  Pour in the white wine and return the chicken to the pan.  Leave to simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes.

Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.

Variations

It can also be made with chicken thighs.

Wine recommendations

A red or white wine.

Conventional

     Rioja Rojo o blanco

Interesting

     Beaujolais Villages

     Côtes du Rhône rouge or blanc

     Lirac

Adventurous

     Fino Sherry