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Spain, Europe · Pollo al Ajillo (Spanish Garlic Chicken)

Garlic Confit Pollo al Ajillo with Fino Sherry

Restaurant-style: crisp-skinned thighs seared in slow-cooked garlic confit oil, finished in the oven, with a glossy fino sherry and stock pan sauce.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time50 min
Dry brine+ 30 min
DifficultyHard

Method

  1. Pat the chicken dry and make 1–2 cuts along the bone on the flesh side. Season all over with the salt and pepper, set skin-side up on a plate and refrigerate uncovered for at least (up to overnight). The salt seasons the meat right through and the skin dries out, so it crisps far better.

    Add in this stepChicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on 600 gSalt 1 tspBlack pepper 1 pinch

  2. Put the olive oil, peeled garlic and chilli in a 16 cm small pan over low heat and cook for . Keep it at a gentle stream of tiny bubbles around the garlic; it is ready when the cloves are pale golden and a knife tip slides in easily. Strain, keeping the garlic and the fragrant garlic oil separately.

    Add in this stepExtra-virgin olive oil (for the confit) 120 mlGarlic cloves, peeled and whole 12Dried red chilli 1

    low heat

  3. Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Put 2 tbsp of the garlic oil in a 26 cm ovenproof pan, add the chicken skin-side down and cook over medium heat for . Press lightly with a spatula at first so all the skin touches the pan, then leave it alone until the fat sizzles and the skin is deep golden and crisp.

    medium heat

  4. Turn the chicken, tuck the thyme and bay in between and put the pan in the oven (oven) for . It is done when the thickest part next to the bone reads at least 75 °C (ideally 80 °C) and the juices run clear. If your pan isn't ovenproof, move the chicken to a roasting tin. Rest the chicken skin-side up on a board for 5 minutes.

    Add in this stepFresh thyme sprigs 3Bay leaf 1

    oven

  5. Pour off all but 1 tbsp of fat from the pan; the handle is very hot, so use an oven glove. Set the pan over high heat, pour in the fino and scrape up the browned bits for to cook off the alcohol, then add the stock and reduce for , until halved and thick enough to coat a spoon.

    Add in this stepFino sherry (dry sherry) 80 mlChicken stock (unsalted or low-salt) 120 ml

    high heat

  6. Turn off the heat, add the garlic confit, sherry vinegar and 1–2 tbsp of garlic oil and swirl the pan to emulsify the sauce, then stir in the parsley. Spoon the sauce onto plates first and set the chicken on top skin-side up so it stays crisp, adding any resting juices to the sauce.

    Add in this stepSherry vinegar 1 tspFlat-leaf parsley, chopped 2 tbsp

Cook's tip

Keep leftover garlic oil and confit sealed in the fridge and use within 4 days; at room temperature they can be unsafe. They are great with pasta, roast potatoes or bread. No fino? Use dry white wine plus a little extra sherry vinegar.

Cooking it at camp

Without an oven, do step 4 in a lidded cast-iron pan over low heat, covered, for about the same time (the skin will be less crisp). Make the garlic confit at home and carry it sealed in the cooler, keep the chicken at 4 °C or below, and always check the internal temperature.