Pollo al Ajillo

Ingredients

• 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 12 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Method

1. 1

   Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and pepper.

2. 2

   Heat the olive oil in a 9-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

   2:00 · Heat oil
3. 3

   Brown the chicken in batches, skin-side down first, turning occasionally, until deeply golden on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.

   8:00 · Brown chicken
4. 4

   Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the sliced garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes.

   2:00 · Cook garlic
5. 5

   Stir in the smoked paprika and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds.

   0:15 · Toast spices
6. 6

   Pour in the sherry and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer for 1 minute to cook off the raw alcohol smell.

   1:00 · Simmer sherry
7. 7

   Add the chicken stock, sherry vinegar, and bay leaves, then return the chicken to the skillet skin-side up, nestling it into the garlic and liquid.

8. 8

   Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 25 minutes.

   25:00 · Simmer chicken
9. 9

   Uncover and simmer another 5 minutes to let the sauce reduce slightly and the chicken skin firm back up.

   5:00 · Reduce sauce
10. 10

    Discard the bay leaves, taste the sauce and adjust salt as needed, then scatter chopped parsley over the top before serving.