BASQUE CHICKEN
4 to 6 servings
Have ready:
- 3 ½ to 4 pounds bone-in chicken parts
Heat in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Add the chicken in batches, without crowding, and cook, turning once, until golden, about 5 minutes each side. Transfer to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium and add to the fat in the pot:
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 red, yellow, or green bell peppers or 8 ounces Basque or Italian frying peppers, cut into ½-inch-wide strips
- 4 small jalapeño peppers, seeded and cut into strips
- 4 ounces cured ham (such as country ham, prosciutto, or serrano), cut into ½-inch dice
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Cook, stirring often, until the peppers are softened, about 10 minutes. Add:
- 2 pounds fresh tomatoes, chopped, or one 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, crushed
Return the chicken pieces to the pot. Bring the liquid to a simmer, cover, reduce the heat to low to medium-low, and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and tender (the thighs should reach 175°F and the breasts about 160°F), about 45 minutes.
Serve over:
- Cooked rice