Catalan Chicken with Almonds and Sherry
A Spanish dinner sized for one person, ready in 36 minutes. Roughly £2.10 a portion.
Per portion
Calories from protein 24%, carbs 23%, fat 53%. Estimated from the ingredients.
Roughly £2.10 a portion.
Method
- 1
Toast half the almonds in a dry frying pan for 1–2 minutes until golden, then tip onto a plate and set aside.
- 2
Heat the oil in the same pan and brown the chicken all over, 5–6 minutes. Remove and set aside. Cooking for three or more? Do this in batches so the pan stays hot and everything browns, then put it all back.
- 3
Soften the onion in the same pan for 8 minutes until soft and translucent, adding the garlic for the last minute.
- 4
Add the rest of the almonds and the torn bread and toast for 1–2 minutes, then pour in the sherry and let it bubble for 1 minute.
- 5
Add the stock and bay leaf, return the chicken to the pan, cover and simmer for 15–18 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (75°C in the thickest part).
- 6
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- 7
Mash the almonds and bread into the sauce with a fork to thicken slightly and stir through the parsley. Toast the crusty bread, scatter the reserved almonds over the chicken and serve with the toast alongside. A bigger batch takes longer to reduce: go by how it looks, not the clock.
Cook's notes
- Sizes. Vegetables, fruit and eggs are medium unless the recipe says otherwise. A tin is a standard 400g tin.
- Dairy. Salted or unsalted butter both work; with salted, go easy on any extra salt. Use full-fat soured cream, crème fraîche and yoghurt in anything hot, as low-fat versions split.
- Stock. A cube or pot made up as the packet says. Cubes are salty, so taste before adding more salt.
- Heat. Medium means a gentle sizzle, not spitting. High means the oil shimmers before the food goes in. A simmer is a few lazy bubbles, not a rolling boil. Leave the lid off unless the recipe says to cover.
- Pans. A small saucepan is about 16cm and a frying pan about 24cm. Sauces reduce faster in a wider pan, so go by how it looks rather than the clock.
- Doneness. Chicken and turkey should reach 75°C in the thickest part, pork 65 to 70°C, and beef steak 55°C for medium-rare. Rest steaks and chops for a few minutes before slicing.
- Finishing. Taste before serving. Most dishes want a pinch more salt, and a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar lifts anything rich.
- Leftovers. Cool quickly, cover and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days, then reheat until piping hot. Cooked rice keeps for 1 day and should only be reheated once.
solosupper.co.uk/recipes/catalan-chicken-with-almonds-and-sherry/
