Spanish chicken with olives

This is a typical Spanish dish.  Absolutely delightful.  Full of the sun.

It can be served as a tapas dish, a light lunch or a supper dish.

Preparation Time: 10 Mins

Cooking Time: 40 Mins

Total Time: 50 Mins

Ingredients

For 4 servings…

8                    Chicken thighs         

                     Pepper  - freshly ground, black  

                     Salt          

50 ml              Olive oil     

8 cloves           Garlic  - sliced thickly 

1                    Onion  - sliced thinly 

1 tbs               Flour        

2 sprigs            Rosemary   

3 tbs               Brandy      

1 glass             Wine  - white          

200 ml             Stock  - chicken       

150 gms           Olives  - green and black - pitted

Method

Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.

Place a large frying pan over a high heat and add the olive oil.  Brown the chicken thighs all over, placing them skin-side down first so they will release a bit of fat.  Remove them from the pan and set aside.

Reduce the pan heat to medium.  Add the garlic and onion and fry until they start to colour.  Sprinkle over the flour and cook for 1 minute – continuously stirring.  Add the rosemary sprigs and then quickly flambé with the brandy (by warming it, lighting it and pouring it into the frying pan.  Add the wine and stir it into the flour until there are no lumps.  Return the chicken thighs to the pan and

simmer for a couple of minutes until the wine has reduced by half and some of the alcohol has evaporated.

Stir in the stock, add the olives and some black pepper, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the sauce is juicy and rich.  Taste for and, if necessary, adjust the seasoning.

Wine recommendations

A white wine or a light red.

Conventional

     Verdejo

Interesting

     Beaujolais

     Côtes du Rhône

     Rioja

Adventurous

     Fino Sherry