CHICKEN BASQUE

This is a great recipe to cook for a weeknight meal. You can substitute ham with chorizos and to make it more hearty, add lentils, carrots, potatoes and extra chilli for a kick. I used green bell pepper instead of red.   My family loved this. They had it with spaghetti, yo can serve with saffron rice or a crusty bread. enjoy the taste of Spain and France in one dish.

Serves 2

Time: 35-35 minutes

2 tbs olive oil

2 chicken quarters or 4 chicken thighs

1 small red onion finely chopped

1 red/green bell pepper diced

1 green hot chilli chopped

2-3 garlic cloves minced

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tin 400 grams tomatoes or 4 fresh plum tomatoes chopped

1 cup chicken stock

200 grams chopped ham

1/2 cup green olives pitted ( can mix with black ones )

1/2 cup chopped parsley

Salt and pepper

Method

In a pan, heat 1 tbs of olive oil and brown the chicken quarters well. The skin should crisp. Then turn to another side. Remove and keep it aside.

In the same pan, add the remaining oil and cook the onions, bell peppers, ham and garlic till softened and the onions have turned pink. 

Add the stock, paprika, olives and the tomatoes. Bring it to a simmer.

 

When boiling, return the brown chicken pieces and spoon some of the sauce on the chicken. Cover and let it cook for about 10 minutes till the sauce has thickened and the chicken in cooked through.

Serve the chicken basque on the spaghetti or the saffron rice, scattered with green olives.