Garlic-Chip Pollo al Ajillo Bocadillo

Method

1. Make the alioli: finely grate part of the garlic (about a fifth) into the mayonnaise, squeeze in the juice of half the lemon and mix well. Chill so the flavours blend.

   Add in this stepMayonnaise 3 tbspGarlic cloves 1¼Lemon ¼

2. Cut into the thick parts of the chicken thighs and open them out to an even thickness of about 1.5 cm. Pat dry and season both sides evenly with the salt and smoked paprika.

   Add in this stepBoneless chicken thighs 300 gSalt ½ tspSmoked paprika 1 tsp

3. Thinly slice the rest of the garlic, 1–2 mm thick. Put the olive oil and sliced garlic into a cold 24 cm frying pan together and cook over medium-low heat for 3 min, stirring, until the garlic is pale golden, then lift it straight onto kitchen paper. It keeps darkening off the heat, so waiting for deep brown makes it bitter.

   Add in this stepExtra-virgin olive oil 3 tbspGarlic cloves 4¾

   medium-low heat

4. Add the chicken to the garlicky oil skin-side down and cook over medium heat for 10 min, turning once. It is done when the thickest part shows no pink and the juices run clear (75 °C or more). Squeeze over the rest of the lemon juice, rest on a board for 2 minutes, then slice 1 cm wide.

   Add in this stepLemon ¼

   medium heat

5. Split the baguette lengthwise and toast the cut sides in the chicken pan's oil over medium heat for 1 min 30 sec, until golden and crisp.

   Add in this stepBaguette (15 cm lengths) or crusty rolls 2

   medium heat

6. Spread both sides of the bread generously with alioli, layer on the lettuce, thinly sliced tomato and chicken, then pile on the garlic chips and parsley. Cut in half and eat straight away.

   Add in this stepRomaine lettuce leaves 4Tomato 1Flat-leaf parsley, chopped 1 tbsp