Bowl of Chicken with Sweet Peppers
(click to enlarge)

Chicken with Sweet Peppers


Spain - Pollo al Chilindron   |   Sephardic - Armi de Gayna
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 3 main
***
1-1/3 hrs
Yes		 From the Spanish provinces of Navarra and Aragon, a delicious stew of chicken and sweet peppers. See Note-5 for details of prep and serving.
Armi de Gayna is a Sephardic Jewish version of this dish, which drops the ham and adds 1/2 t of ground allspice, a Turkish influence (biblio sf145).




1-1/2
1/2
------
2
4
2
8
1-1/2
1
2
1/2
1/4
1/3
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#
t
---
cl
oz
oz
oz
#

T
t
t
c
---
Chicken meat (1)  
Salt
----
Garlic
Onion
Ham, Spanish (2)
Tomatoes
Red Bell Pepper
Chili, dry (3)
Olive Oil
Paprika (3)
Pepper
Chicken Stock
----------
Prep   -   (25 min)
  1. Cut CHICKEN into the size chunks appropriate for how you will be serving it. 1-1/2 inch or so is usually good. Mix with Salt.
  2. Crush GARLIC and chop fine. Chop ONION fine. Mix.
  3. Chop HAM medium
  4. Scald TOMATOES 1 minute in boiling water, quench in cold water, peel and and chop small.
  5. Blast PEPPERS black with your Kitchen Torch and brush off the skins under running water. Core and slice into strips about 1/2 inch wide and half the pepper height in length. Cap the CHILI and toss it in with the bell peppers.
Run   -   (55 min)
  1. Heat Olive Oil in a spacious sauté pan and fry Chicken, tumbling frequently until lightly browned on all sides. Be very careful the fond that sticks to the pan doesn't burn.
  2. Stir Onion Mix into the pan and fry stirring until onions are translucent, then stir in Ham for a minute, followed by Paprika, then Tomatoes. and Stock. Deglaze the pan, scraping up the fond and incorporating it into the sauce.
  3. Stir in Pepper Mix and Black Pepper. Cover and simmer slowly for about 45 minutes, turning a couple of times.
  4. Check salt and seasoning. Adjust liquid if needed and serve hot.
NOTES:

  1. Chicken:

      Weight is skinless, boneless, preferably thigh/leg meat.

  2. Spanish Ham:

      Serrano Ham has been legal in the US for some time now, but still sells at contraband prices and is pretty much special order. Italian Proscuitto makes an acceptable and much more available and affordable substitute.

  3. Chili:

      I use one dried red Thai chili which provides just a touch of heat. The timid may prefer a Japones, or an de Arbol for in between.

  4. Paprika:

      Please, real Spanish or Hungarian paprika, not that sawdust flavored stuff they sell in the supermarkets.

  5. Details:

      The pattern recipe called for a whole 3 to 3-1/2 pound chicken cut into small serving pieces. Since I use this recipe for buffet service, boneless chicken leg and thigh meat works better. Breasts can be used, but will have less flavor and a stringy texture. The pattern recipe called for simmering just in the tomatoes, adding chicken broth only if needed. I find a bit more liquid, enough to moisten some rice, works well for me.
  6. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove, in=inch

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