Chicken in Pepitoria Sauce (Pollo en Pepitoria)

Ingredients

• 240 ml (1 cup)white wine
• 1 tablespoonminced fresh garlic
• 1 tablespoonkosher salt
• 2 teaspoonsdried oregano
• 1 teaspoonground pimenta moida
• 1/2 teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
• 60 ml (1/4 cup)extra virgin olive oil
• 1.8–2.3 kg (4–5 pounds)bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
• 60 g (1/2 cup)plain flour
• 1 teaspoonkosher salt
• 1 teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoonwhite vinegar
• 2whole eggs, left in their shells and at room temperature
• 45 g (1/2 cup)slivered or sliced almonds
• 60 ml (1/4 cup)extra virgin olive oil
• about 240 ml (1 cup)crusty bread, cut into 2.5 cm (1-inch) cubes
• 4whole peeled medium garlic cloves
• 480 ml (2 cups), dividedchicken stock
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) plus 30 ml (2 tablespoons), dividedextra virgin olive oil
• about 240 ml (1 1/2 cups)diced onion (about 1 medium to large onion)
• 4fresh plum tomatoes, cored and diced
• 1 teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoonground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoonground cloves
• 1 largebay leaf
• 180 ml (3/4 cup)dry sherry
• 1 pinchsaffron
• to tastechopped fresh parsley, to garnish

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate the chicken

   Optional: the night before, combine the wine, minced garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, oregano, pimenta moida, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 60 ml olive oil. Put the chicken in a large resealable bag, pour in the marinade and leave it overnight, up to 24 hours. Remove the chicken and discard the marinade.

2. 2

   Coat the chicken

   Mix the flour with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Lightly coat all sides of each chicken piece, then set the pieces aside on a plate.

3. 3

   Cook the eggs

   Bring a small pan of water to the boil and add the vinegar. Carefully lower in the two eggs and boil for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the eggs in the water for 15 minutes. Drain, shake the pan to crack the shells, then peel the eggs under running water. Separate the whites from the yolks and set both aside.

4. 4

   Heat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 165°C (325°F) and arrange the shelves to fit a large lidded Dutch oven.

5. 5

   Toast the almonds

   Put the almonds in a large, dry frying pan over a medium heat. Toast for about 5 minutes, until browned, then transfer them to a food processor or blender.

6. 6

   Brown bread and garlic

   Using the same pan over a medium-high heat, add 60 ml olive oil. Once hot, add the bread cubes and whole garlic cloves and cook for 4–5 minutes, until both are browned. Transfer them to the food processor with the almonds and the cooked egg yolks; reserve the whites for garnish.

7. 7

   Blend the sauce base

   Add 240 ml chicken stock to the food processor or blender and pulse to a rough, slightly grainy consistency. Set aside.

8. 8

   Brown the chicken

   Heat 60 ml olive oil in a large, heavy-based ovenproof pot or Dutch oven over a medium-high heat. When hot, brown half the chicken for 2–3 minutes on each side, then transfer it to a platter. Brown the remaining chicken in the same way.

9. 9

   Wipe the pot

   Discard the oil and carefully wipe the pot with a paper towel, taking care not to burn yourself.

10. 10

    Heat fresh oil

    Return the pot to a medium-high heat and add 30 ml olive oil.

11. 11

    Cook the vegetables

    Once the oil is hot, add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, 1 teaspoon pepper, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf, then cook for a further 3 minutes.

12. 12

    Reduce the sherry

    Pour in the sherry and add the saffron. Cook until most of the sherry has evaporated.

13. 13

    Add the sauce base

    Add the remaining 240 ml chicken stock and the blended bread and garlic mixture. Stir to combine.

14. 14

    Braise the chicken

    Nestle the browned chicken into the sauce, leaving the tops of the pieces exposed. Cover the pot and cook in the oven for 1 hour.

15. 15

    Serve the chicken

    After 1 hour, remove the chicken to a platter. Spoon some sauce over the chicken and serve the rest alongside.

16. 16

    Garnish and finish

    Chop the cooked egg whites and scatter them over the platter with chopped fresh parsley.

17. 17

    Serve with bread

    Serve with plenty of crusty bread.

What is pollo en pepitoria?

Pollo en pepitoria is a Spanish chicken stew with roots in the country’s long tradition of cooking with almonds, spices and egg-thickened sauces. The name refers to the distinctive sauce as much as the chicken itself.

This version builds flavour in stages: the chicken is browned, then braised with tomatoes, sherry and a roughly blended mix of toasted almonds, bread, garlic and egg yolks. The result is a savoury, gently spiced sauce with body rather than a smooth, cream-based finish.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1350 calories, 88g protein, 55g carbs, 94g fat.

The chicken supplies most of the protein, while the flour, bread and tomatoes contribute carbohydrates. Olive oil, chicken skin and almonds make the dish rich in fat; serve it with a green vegetable or salad alongside the bread to balance the plate.

The chicken and optional marinade

Bone-in, skin-on thighs and drumsticks hold up well during the long braise and bring flavour to the sauce. If using leg quarters, separate each thigh from its drumstick as suggested in the recipe.

Marinating is optional, but the overnight rest gives the chicken time in the wine, garlic, oregano and spices. If you skip it, go straight to coating the chicken in seasoned flour.

Build the almond mixture

Toasted almonds: browning them in a dry pan brings out their nutty flavour; keep them moving and take them off the heat once golden.

Bread and garlic: frying these until browned gives the sauce a savoury base. Blending them with the almonds, yolks and stock should leave a slightly grainy texture, which is part of this version’s character.

Brown in batches

Give the chicken room in the pot and brown it in two batches, as the method directs. Crowding can make the pieces release moisture and steam rather than colour.

The recipe calls for discarding the first oil and wiping the pot before cooking the onion. Do this carefully, as the pot and its residue will be very hot.

Cook the sauce gently

Let the sherry reduce before adding the stock and almond mixture. This leaves the other ingredients to form the body of the sauce rather than leaving a strong raw-wine note.

Settle the chicken into the sauce with the tops exposed, then cover the pot for the oven braise. The recipe’s cue is time: cook at 165°C for 1 hour.

Eggs and finishing touches

The eggs are boiled in their shells, then separated: the yolks go into the blended sauce base and the chopped whites are saved for the final garnish. Follow the resting time after boiling so the eggs are easier to handle and peel.

Parsley adds freshness against the deep, nutty sauce. Scatter it over the chicken with the chopped whites just before serving.

What to serve alongside

Crusty bread is the recipe’s natural partner, useful for scooping up the sauce. Set extra sauce on the side so everyone can add more at the table.

For a fuller meal, serve the chicken with a simple green vegetable or salad. Keep sides lightly seasoned so they do not compete with the cinnamon, cloves and saffron in the sauce.

Recipe notes & tips

• Pat the chicken dry before coating it so the flour sticks in a light layer.
• Toast the almonds over a moderate heat and remove them as soon as they are browned.
• Blend the sauce base only to a rough, slightly grainy texture, not until completely smooth.
• Brown the chicken in two batches to give the pieces room in the pot.
• Set up the ovenproof pot before preheating so it fits comfortably on the oven shelf.
• Keep the reserved egg whites covered until you are ready to chop and garnish with them.

Variations

• Use a substitute spice: if you do not have pimenta moida, follow the recipe’s note for a replacement.
• Choose chicken pieces: use thighs and drumsticks from leg quarters, separated before marinating.
• Make it without marinating: skip the optional overnight step and proceed with the seasoned flour coating.
• Adjust the sauce texture: blend the almond mixture a little less for a coarser finish.
• Add a green side: serve with simply cooked green vegetables alongside the chicken and bread.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowding the pot: brown the chicken in two batches so the pieces can colour rather than steam.
• Burning the almonds: toast over medium heat and watch closely, removing them once browned.
• Over-blending the sauce base: stop while it is still a little grainy, as the recipe intends.
• Skipping the sherry reduction: cook it until most has evaporated before adding the stock.
• Handling hot oil carelessly: discard it and wipe the pot cautiously to avoid burns.
• Forgetting the egg whites: reserve them after separating the eggs, then chop them for the garnish.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Reheat the chicken and sauce gently in a covered pan until piping hot throughout, adding a splash of stock or water if the sauce has thickened.

Frequently asked questions