Pollo al Ajillo

Pollo al Ajillo (Spanish Garlic Chicken)

A homely Spanish classic of chicken braised with whole garlic cloves, dry sherry and bay leaves until the sauce turns golden and glossy. Best eaten straight from the cazuela with crusty bread to mop up the pan juices.

Prep

10 min

Cook

40 min

Total

50 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •900 g (2 lb) bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin-on, patted dry
• •5 g (1 tsp) fine sea salt
• •2 g (1 tsp) freshly ground black pepper
• •80 ml (1/3 cup) extra-virgin olive oil, Spanish EVOO preferred
• •30 g (about 20 cloves) garlic cloves, peeled, left whole
• •120 ml (1/2 cup) dry sherry (fino or amontillado), dry white wine works in a pinch
• •200 ml (3/4 cup) chicken stock, low-sodium
• •2 whole dried bay leaves
• •15 g (1/4 cup loosely packed) flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, to finish

Steps

1. 1 Season the chicken pieces all over with the salt and pepper.
2. 2 Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy cazuela or deep skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the chicken skin-side down and brown, without moving, for 5 to 6 minutes until the skin is deep golden. Flip and brown the other side for 3 minutes. Work in two batches if needed to avoid crowding. Transfer to a plate.
3. 3 Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the whole garlic cloves to the same pan and cook gently, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes until they turn pale gold and fragrant — do not let them brown or they will turn bitter.
4. 4 Pour in the sherry and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 2 minutes to cook off the raw alcohol.
5. 5 Add the chicken stock and bay leaves, then return the chicken and any collected juices to the pan, arranging the pieces in a single layer skin-side up so the skin stays above the liquid.
6. 6 Bring to a gentle simmer, cover partially, and cook at a low simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, turning the chicken once halfway through, until the juices run clear at the thickest point and an instant-read thermometer inserted (avoiding bone) reads 75°C / 165°F.
7. 7 Uncover, increase the heat slightly, and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes more to reduce the sauce until it lightly coats the back of a spoon and looks glossy.
8. 8 Discard the bay leaves. Scatter the chopped parsley over the top and serve straight from the pan with plenty of crusty bread.
9. 9 SAFETY NOTE: Poultry must reach 75°C / 165°F internal temperature for at least 15 seconds. Always insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh or drumstick without touching bone. If any piece reads below 75°C, return it to the simmering sauce and recheck after a few minutes.