Country-Style Spring Chicken with Olives and Potatoes
Makes 6 servings
This about 1 pound each (see note below)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds small (about 1 1/2″) new red potatoes, halved
3 small onions (about 6 ounces)
2 springs fresh rosemary
20 pitted Calamata olives
1 whole pepperoncino (dried hot red pepper), broken in half, or 1/2 tsp peperoncino (crushed red pepper)
2 T chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
In a large bowl, toss the chicken pieces together with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss again. heat two large (at least 12″) nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron pans over medium heat. add the chicken pieces, skin side down, and cover the skillets. Cook the chicken, turning it once, until golden brown on both sides, 5 to 7 minutes.
Move the chicken pieces to one side of each skillet. Add the potato halves, cut side down, to the cleared sides of the skillets and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, turning them and the chicken pieces often, until evenly browned. (At this point, both the chicken and potatoes should be crisp and brown).
Meanwhile, peel the onions and cut them in quarters through the core, leaving the core intact to hold the quarters together while they cook. Reduce the heat to medium-low, divide the onions, rosemary, olives, and peperoncino between the skillets, and cook, covered, until the onions have softened and the flavors have blended, about 15 minutes. Stir the contents of the skillets gently several times as they cook.
Drain the oil from the skillets, sprinkle the chicken and potatoes with the chopped parsley, and serve.
Note: Cut each spring chicken into four pieces: 2 breasts/wings and two legs. You can substitute two large (about 1 3/4 pounds each) Cornish hens for the spring chickens. Cut the hens into 8 pieces each: 2 wings. 2 breasts, 2 thighs, and 2 legs. Cooking time will be approximately the same.
Lidia