Portuguese Chicken

Portuguese Chicken with tomatoes, cipolline onions, roasted red peppers and prosciutto ham

This dish is based on a recipe in the current issue of Bon Appetit.

I started with one whole chicken cut into pieces.

The chicken pieces were coated one at a time in a mixture of 1 cup flour, 1 tlbs + 1/4 tsp of smoked paprika, 1 1/2 tsp salt and a 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

I sauted the chicken in olive oil in large skillet and then placed them in a large pot.
I poured 2 cans of diced tomatoes with the juices over the chicken.

I hope you have one of these gadgets to open those stubborn jars in your kitchen.

I chop 4 oz of prosciutto

and 2 large roasted red peppers

and add to the pot.

Next I blanch a small bag of cipolline onions

in boiling water for 1 minute

which makes them easy to peel,

and add them to the pot.

I add 6 large garlic cloves, pressed

4 flat parsley sprigs

4 bay leaves, bruised

The recipe called for 1/2 cup of port wine and 1/2 cup of white wine neither of which I had.

I added 1 cup of sweet red vermouth to the skillet to deglaze it.

I whisked in 1 tlbs Dijon mustard and 1 tlbs tomato paste.

I poured this mixture over the chicken and brought the pot to a boil.

Then covered and into the oven for a couple of hours until the chicken was very tender.

I set a nice table.



Note the snow piled up against the window.

I placed the chicken and toppings onto a serving platter.

I simmered the remaining sauce in the pot until it thickened a little and then spooned some of it over the chicken.

I served it with a nice bowl of boiled carrots

and accompanied it with a loaf

of crusty chiabatti bread

served with a spanish olive oil and balsamic vinegar

for dipping.

Bon Appetit!