I am absolutely bonkers over this recipe,
which is fast becoming my 'go to' dish
(at least for now until another recipe
comes along to top it?) I made it
for my sister and her husband during
a recent visit to their home and it was lauded one
of the best dishes they had for some
time (as rustic family dishes go).
Serve with crusty French bread or
baguette and a nice bottle of Spanish rioja.
Or my new personal favorite, a Portuguese
red wine called Cedro do Noval from
the Duriense region.
Recipe as follows:
4 ounces dry chorizo, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 whole chicken legs, split (3 1/2 pounds)
(I USE BONELESS CHICKEN THIGHS
FOR THIS RECIPE..BUT YOU CAN USE
JUST ABOUT ANY CUT OF CHICKEN YOU
LIKE?)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 medium red bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips
2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 large thyme sprigs
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
¾ cup dry sherry
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper
One 9-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and pressed dry
2 tablespoons shredded basil
Crusty French bread, for serving
Heat a very large, deep skillet. Add the chorizo and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until lightly browned and some of the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chorizo to a large plate.
Heat the olive oil in the skillet. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until well browned, 15 minutes. Add the chicken to the chorizo.
Add the bell peppers, red onions, garlic and thyme to the skillet and cook over moderate heat until barely softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sherry, paprika and crushed red pepper and cook for 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
Return the chicken and chorizo to the skillet. Cover and simmer over moderately low heat, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Add the artichokes, tucking them in between the chicken pieces. Raise the heat to moderate and cook uncovered until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a deep platter. Stir the basil into the sauce and spoon over the chicken. Serve with crusty bread.
