The Mediterranean chicken dinner easy to a pot I cook in rehearsal

I am the kind of cook that is based on emergency recipes – these essential dishes that you prepare on the automatic pilot when the inspiration is up to it and the dinner must go on the table. But over time, I came to count as much on the aid techniques—The reliable frames that I can adapt to everything in the refrigerator. The bones remain the same, but the details can change. This balance of familiarity and surprise maintains exciting things. When the components are carefully chosen, they feel both comforting and new.

This chicken, filled with Spanish -inspired flavors, is precisely this kind of meal. It follows a simple formula: net thighs, a base of aromatic vegetables, a touch of something watering and a finish to a panel in the oven. But what distinguishes it is the combination of caramelized fennel, smoked chorizo, candied onions, sweet peppers and a salt and salty sherry broth that brings everything together. It is vibrant, intensely flavored and comfortable like hell – like a weekend project that you can carry out a weekday evening.

The power of a pan (and cold starting)

This recipe focuses on the fundamental principles of the good braised but rationalizes the process in a way that seems refreshing and simple. It starts by placing the chicken thighs with the skin in a pan at room temperature. It may seem counter-intuitive, but it is a trick that encourages the rendering of slow and regular fats and maximizes the sharpness of the skin. When you turn the thighs over, the skin is golden, the pan humming with fats rendered and you have laid the basics of a tasty dish.

Using a single pan also means that each element of the recipe benefits from what had preceded it. The chicken fat and the validity left of the browning of the thighs are picked up by the fennel, the onion and the chorizo ​​which follow, creating a chain of flavors which is built at each stage.

Build smoked, salty and sweet breez smoke

From there, the aromatics take over. Fenouil – Cut in thick districts that soften and soften when they rotate – provide an elevator based on plants and almost governing the more tasty flavors of the dish. Onions, garlic and peppers complete the aromatic base, while smoked paprika and fresh thyme have heat and complexity.

Then there is the Spanish style chorizo ​​- the hardened genre and ready to eat, not fresh sausage. Listed in pieces the size of a bite and jumped next to the vegetables, it makes a dark red oil and infuses the dish with smoked and porky intensity. Its spices flourish in the chicken fat as it cooks, carrying their flavor through everything in the pan.

Once the aromatics are softened and golden, a rapid sprinkling of flour thickens the mixture just enough to transform the braised liquid into a clear sauce – no thickness, but enough to hang on the chickpeas and coat your fork. Then comes the dry sherry, which deglassing the pan and brings a hazelnut and acid brightness which cuts all this richness.

Sherry: My secret weapon for flavor

If you don’t already cook with sherry, I hope this dish convinces you to start. A Spanish enriched wine with a distinctive oxidized character, Sherry adds depth and complexity without controlling the dish. The Sherry Fino or Amontillado works better here – they are dry, savory and hazelnuts, with chorizo ​​and chicken.

Unlike the cooking of wine, which can sometimes fade in the bottom during cooking, Sherry is holding up. A modest 3/4 cup combined with chicken broth deflacing the pan and becomes the sealing liquid. After a short simmer to cook alcohol, its character persists until the final bite.

Why chickpeas work well here

The canned chickpeas are not only there for the volume – they are at the heart of the texture and the appeal of the dish. Their creamy centers absorb smoked and salty liquid while the dish is simmering, offering a earthy contrast with the rich chicken and fusion vegetables. Unlike more delicate can be beers, chickpeas resist prolonged cooking, maintaining their shape without turning to porridge.

They also transform the dish of a protein plate with an old man into a fully satisfactory dinner – no rice or potatoes is necessary (although a piece of crisp bread is always welcome to slide through the pan).

Let the oven make the big lifting

Once the chicken is nestled in the pan, it enters the oven, discovered so that the skin remains crisp. This intermediate phase allows the chicken to finish cooking gently while chickpeas, chorizo ​​and vegetables absorb the broth.

You are targeting 185 to 190 ° F on a meat thermometer here, which ensures that the chicken thighs are completely braised and juicy. Unlike chicken breasts, the thighs only improve when they exceed 165 ° F, becoming more tender and shredable. Dark meat has more fat and connective tissue, which means that it remains not only more juicy at higher temperatures, but also develops a better, more tender, less soft and, perhaps the most critical, without.

Finish hard with butter, salt and shiny herbs

A quick cooker to simmer with a few taps of butter brings the sauce from good to silky. The butter enriches the stove juice and brings everything together, while a handful of chopped parsley adds a welcome touch of color and freshness. It is not a difficult finish, but it makes a real difference.

Taste the sauce and do not hesitate to continue to season it until the arrival – The batteries can absorb a lot of salt. A pinch of lemon or a touch of vinegar is not necessary, but it can be a nice touch if you want to push this bright a little further.

And remember, although the bones of the recipe are strong, there is also room to play: exchange in white beans can (they will disintegrate more, but they will always be delicious), add spinach or curly cabbage towards the end of the embers to wither, or replace the chorizo ​​with a pancetta. Like any good recipe focused on technique, the base is flexible, indulgent and always satisfactory.

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