Chicken with saffron and almond sauce (Pollo en pepitoria)
"A good rich sherry, a quality flavoursome bird, fresh bay and the right-sized baking dish are what make this simple dish so delicious – so try not to skimp!" – Matt Preston
What is chicken maryland?
This recipe uses chicken maryland, which is a cut of chicken that includes both the drumstick and the thigh, with the skin still on. This cut is traditionally more flavourful and juicy than other parts of the chicken, which makes it ideal for roasting, like in this recipe.
Why does the yolk have to be separated?
Normally, eggs are separated when they're raw, such as when baking a cake, or when making a meringue. Here, we separate the eggs once they've been hard-boiled. The cooked egg yolks add richness and a depth of flavour to the sauce, which is perfect for this creamy and luxurious recipe. We don't add the cooked egg whites, as they wouldn't blend smoothly like the yolk does, and could dilute the rich flavour of the sauce.
Instead, to avoid waste, the egg whites are used as a final garnish. We grate the egg whites on top of the chicken for visual effect, as well as adding another textural element to the dish.
How to boil an egg perfectly
To cook eggs without getting a grey ring around the yolk, place eggs in a saucepan of cold water, bring to a simmer and cook for 7 minutes. Drain and cool under cold running water, then peel.
Ingredients (12)
- 4 (approx. 920g total) chicken marylands, skin on
- 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra, to drizzle
- 1/2 cup (80g) blanched whole almonds
- 1 onion, coarsely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup (80ml) dry sherry (see notes)
- 2 cups (500ml) chicken stock
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- Pinch of saffron threads
- 4 eggs, hard-boiled (see notes), yolks and whites separated
- Coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve
Don't forget you can add these ingredients to your Woolworths shopping list.
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1.Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Place chicken pieces in a large bowl, drizzle with 1 tbs oil and season with salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Toss well to combine.
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2.Heat a large frypan over high heat. Cook the chicken, turning occasionally, for 6-8 minutes, until browned all over. Transfer to a baking dish that holds the chicken pieces snugly in a single layer, reserving pan.
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3.Reduce heat to medium. In the reserved pan, add almonds and cook, tossing frequently, for 4-6 minutes, until toasted. Transfer to a small bowl and cool to room temperature, again reserving pan.
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4.Add remaining 2 tbs oil to reserved pan with the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, until onion begins to soften. Add the sherry and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, until liquid is reduced by half. Return almonds to pan with stock, bay leaves and spices. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes to combine flavours, then remove from heat.
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5.Discard bay leaves, then pour mixture into a narrow heatproof jug. Add egg yolks and use a stick blender to whiz to a smooth sauce (you can also use a heatproof blender here). Season to taste. Pour sauce evenly over chicken and roast for 45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and almond sauce is golden.
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6.To serve, finely grate egg whites and place in a small bowl.
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7.Divide chicken between plates and spoon over sauce. Scatter with grated egg whites and flat-leaf parsley. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
For the sherry, you can use either amontillado or oloroso, but anything dry would work well. To cook eggs perfectly without getting a grey ring around the yolk, place eggs in a saucepan of cold water, bring to a simmer and cook for 7 minutes. Drain and cool under cold running water, then peel.
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