Nº 33 · Spanish & Mediterranean · serves 4
Light Chicken in Saffron and Almond Sauce
In Spain: Pollo en pepitoria
Chicken in a velvety saffron sauce, thickened with almonds and egg yolk: a lighter version of the Castilian festive dish.
Ingredients serves 4
Tick off what you already have at home.
Budget tip: bone-in chicken legs instead of thigh fillets (approx. €2)
MercadonaCarniceríaLidl
Aisle: carnicería / aves. Boneless thighs are usually pre-packed; the poultry shop will also debone them for you.
MercadonaLidlMAS
Aisle: aceites. Andalusia is olive oil country: even own-brand oils are good value, often sold by the litre.
Any supermarket
Aisle: frutería. Loose or in nets; purple garlic (ajo morado) is often the most aromatic.
Any supermarket
Aisle: frutos secos. Choose 'crudas' (raw); 'marcona' almonds are often fried and salted.
Any supermarket
Aisle: especias. Small boxes or tubes in the spice aisle; DOP La Mancha is often the most fragrant.
Any supermarket
Aisle: caldos y sopas. Stock comes in cartons near the soups; compare salt levels.
Any supermarketMercado municipal
Aisle: frutería. At the market parsley is sometimes thrown in free with your veg; just ask.
To serve
Method
- 1
Dust the chicken with flour, salt and pepper. Brown it on both sides in olive oil until golden and put it in the slow cooker.
- 2
Toast the almonds and garlic in the same pan until golden and set them aside. Soften the onion for 5 minutes and deglaze with the wine (optional).
- 3
Add the stock, saffron (optional) and bay leaf and pour this over the chicken. Cook for 5–6 hours on LOW or 3–4 hours on HIGH, until the chicken reaches 75 °C.
- 4
Grind the almonds, garlic, egg yolks and a splash of sauce into a smooth picada. Stir this into the sauce for the last half hour to thicken it.
- 5
Fish out the bay leaf, taste and scatter over the chopped egg white and parsley.
Flavourful Cooking · slowcookerspain.com/en/recipes/light-chicken-in-saffron-and-almond-sauce/