Catalan chicken

Catalan chicken is one of the most traditional recipes that is prepared in most homes on Christmas Day in Catalonia, it is roasted chicken with plums and pine nuts. It is a true festive dish so it can also be prepared throughout the year.

The base of the recipe is always the same but in each house they usually add their personal touch by changing fruits or using other types of wines. It is a recipe widely cooked by grandmothers and is one of those that is inherited from parents to children.

Ingredients: 6 people

• 1 good-sized free-range chicken, cut into eighths
• 2 ripe tomatoes
• 2 onions cut into julienne
• Virgin olive oil
• 1⁄2 head of garlic cut in half
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 glass of brandy
• 1 glass of white wine or stale wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
• 10 pitted plums
• 1 handful of pine nuts
• Salt and pepper
• mild chicken broth

Chopped:

• 1 small slice of fried bread
• 1 fried garlic
• 1 handful of toasted hazelnuts or almonds

Preparation:

1. We clean the chicken of any traces of feathers or blood and dry it with kitchen paper, season with a little salt and pepper.
2. Put a splash of oil in the low 28 cm Magma saucepan to roast the chicken pieces. When it is hot, brown the chicken on both sides so that it takes on color.
3. Once we have the chicken well browned, we remove it from the casserole to roast the vegetables in it.
4. Put the julienned onion, the head of garlic, the cinnamon stick, the bay leaf and the chopped tomatoes in the casserole and leave until they are golden brown.
5. Add the rosemary, thyme and reserved chicken, mix the sauce and chicken well to incorporate the brandy and white or rancid wine.
6. We let all the alcohol evaporate with the pot uncovered over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
7. Add the chicken broth, it should almost cover the contents of the casserole, we bring it to a boil and immediately lower the heat, cover the casserole and let it simmer for approximately 30-35 minutes, moving the casserole from time to time. when.
8. The time to cook the chicken will also depend on the size.
9. After time we can add the plums and pine nuts to the casserole and adjust the salt if necessary, cover again and let it finish cooking.
10. While we prepare the snack with the fried bread, the fried garlic and the handful of almonds or hazelnuts that we will add at the last moment to help thicken the sauce.
11. Like all stew or roast dishes, it is much better from one day to the next, the flavors are more concentrated and the chicken tastier.

Photographs and recipe by Silvia .