chicken with paprika & red wine

Serves 4

Preparation time 15 minutes

Cooking time 30–40 minutes

1 garlic bulb

625 g (1¼ lb) new potatoes

1 tablespoon chopped rosemary

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 150 g (5 oz) each, diced

1 mild Spanish onion , chopped

1 red pepper, cored, deseeded and chopped

1 bay leaf

3 thyme sprigs

1 tablespoon smoked paprika (pimentón)

400 ml (14 fl oz) red wine

250 ml (8 fl oz) chicken stock

salt and pepper

Roast the whole garlic bulb in a preheated oven, 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6, for 30 minutes. At the same time, roast the potatoes for 30 minutes with a little rosemary and salt.

Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the chicken until golden. Add the onion, red pepper, bay leaf, thyme and smoked paprika, season to taste and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft. Add the wine and stock and cook for 20 minutes to reduce.

Squeeze the soft pulp from the cooked garlic and add it to the chicken to taste. Season with more pepper if necessary.

Remove the bay leaf and thyme and serve the chicken with the roast potatoes and, if liked, baby courgettes and carrots or shredded green cabbage.

For pancetta & mushroom in red wine, replace the chicken with 200 g (7 oz) diced pancetta or streaky bacon. Continue as above, omitting the roasted garlic. Simmer and add 200 g (7 oz) halved mushrooms 5 minutes before the end of cooking. Serve as above.

 

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