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Pollo al Ajillo

Serves 4 to 6 Entree chicken, Poultry

Pollo al Ajillo

Pollo al Ajillo is a staple dish from Castilla, a region in Spain where its preparation is second nature to home cooks. This dish reflects the straightforward, generous style of Spanish family cooking, with no need for a written recipe.

The flavors are simple yet satisfying, featuring tender chicken infused with the warmth of garlic and the freshness of thyme. A splash of dry white wine and a touch of parsley bring brightness, while olive oil ties it all together, creating a comforting and flavorful meal.

Ingredients

  • 1chicken — cut into small pieces
  • 1 headgarlic — cloves peeled and sliced
  • 150 mldry white wine
  • 1bay leaf
  • 1 sprigfresh thyme
  • 100 mlextra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tbspflat-leaf parsley — chopped
  • to tastefine sea salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Cut the chicken into serving pieces, ensuring you have a mix of both white and dark meat. Pat each piece dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, which helps in achieving a crisp skin. Season the chicken generously with fine sea salt and black pepper on all sides.
  2. In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat 100 ml of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, place the chicken pieces skin-side down in the pan, ensuring they are not overcrowded. Cook until the skin is golden brown and crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Flip the pieces and brown the other side, then remove them from the pan and set aside.
  3. Separate the cloves from 1 head of garlic, peel them, and slice thinly. Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic to the skillet. Cook gently in the rendered chicken fat until the garlic is soft and fragrant, being careful not to let it burn.
  4. Pour 150 ml of dry white wine into the skillet, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add 1 bay leaf and 1 sprig of fresh thyme. Return the chicken pieces to the skillet, nestling them into the garlic and wine mixture.
  5. Cover the skillet with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the chicken gently, turning occasionally, until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 25-30 minutes. The chicken should be cooked through and the sauce should have a rich, aromatic flavor.
  6. Chop 3 tablespoons of flat-leaf parsley finely. In a small bowl, prepare a majado by mashing together a few garlic cloves with the parsley until it forms a paste. Stir this mixture into the skillet, allowing it to infuse the sauce with fresh, herbal notes.
  7. Serve the Pollo al Ajillo hot, ensuring each plate gets a generous amount of the garlic-infused sauce. Accompany with crusty bread to soak up the flavorful sauce, completing this traditional Spanish dish.
Cover of Authentic Spanish Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Spanish Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Spanish Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Spanish volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

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