📝 About This Recipe
A crown jewel of Spanish heritage cooking, Pollo en Pepitoria is a masterclass in how humble ingredients like bread, nuts, and eggs can create a sauce of incredible depth and silkiness. This centuries-old recipe features succulent chicken braised in a fragrant white wine and saffron broth, thickened with a traditional 'picada' of toasted almonds and egg yolks. It is a comforting, aromatic, and deeply savory dish that represents the soul of the Spanish farmhouse kitchen.
🥗 Ingredients
The Chicken & Sear
- 3-4 lbs Whole Chicken (cut into 8-10 pieces, skin on)
- 4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Spanish Varietal preferred)
- 1/2 cup All-purpose Flour (for dredging)
- to taste Salt and Black Pepper (freshly ground)
The Aromatic Base
- 1 large Yellow Onion (finely diced)
- 4 Garlic Cloves (peeled and left whole for frying)
- 1 cup Dry White Wine (such as Albariño or Rueda)
- 2 cups Chicken Stock (low sodium, high quality)
- 2 Bay Leaf (dried)
The Picada (Thickening Paste)
- 1/2 cup Raw Marcona Almonds (blanched)
- 1 slice Stale Crusty Bread (about 1-inch thick)
- 2 large Hard-boiled Eggs (yolks separated from whites)
- 1/2 teaspoon Saffron Threads (crushed)
- 1 handful Fresh Parsley (leaves only)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge each piece in flour, shaking off any excess. This helps with browning and later thickens the sauce.
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2
In a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Fry the whole garlic cloves and the slice of bread until golden brown. Remove them and set aside for the picada.
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3
In the same oil, sear the chicken pieces in batches until golden and crisp on all sides (about 5-7 minutes per batch). Do not crowd the pan. Remove chicken and set aside.
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4
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onions to the remaining oil and sauté for 8-10 minutes until soft and translucent, scraping up the browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan.
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5
Return the chicken pieces to the pot. Pour in the white wine and let it bubble and reduce by half, about 3-4 minutes, to cook off the raw alcohol flavor.
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6
Add the chicken stock and bay leaves. The liquid should roughly halfway cover the chicken. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for 30 minutes.
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7
While the chicken simmers, prepare the picada. In a small skillet with a drop of oil, toast the almonds until fragrant and golden. Be careful not to burn them.
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8
Using a mortar and pestle (or a small food processor), grind the toasted almonds, the fried bread, the fried garlic, the saffron, and the two hard-boiled egg yolks into a thick, coarse paste.
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9
Add a splash of the warm cooking liquid to the mortar to loosen the paste, then stir this golden mixture into the pot with the chicken.
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10
Simmer uncovered for another 10-15 minutes. The sauce will transform into a rich, velvety, golden gravy that coats the back of a spoon.
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11
Finely chop the remaining hard-boiled egg whites and the fresh parsley.
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12
Taste the sauce and adjust salt if necessary. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
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13
Plate the chicken pieces, ladle a generous amount of the saffron-almond sauce over the top, and garnish with the chopped egg whites and parsley.
💡 Chef's Tips
For the most authentic flavor, use a high-quality Spanish saffron; blooming it in a tablespoon of warm water before adding to the picada intensifies the color. If the sauce becomes too thick, simply whisk in a little more chicken stock or water until you reach a silky consistency. Always use bone-in chicken; the marrow released during the braise adds essential body and richness to the Pepitoria sauce. Don't skip frying the bread—it provides a unique toasted flavor and a specific texture that flour alone cannot achieve. You can substitute almonds with hazelnuts for a different but equally traditional nutty profile.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with thick-cut saffron rice or simple white rice to soak up every drop of the golden sauce. A side of crusty sourdough or a rustic baguette is essential for 'cleaning the plate' in true Spanish style. Pair with a chilled glass of dry Manzanilla Sherry or a crisp Spanish Albariño wine. Simple roasted potatoes or patatas fritas (fried potatoes) make for a hearty, traditional accompaniment. A light green salad with a sharp lemon vinaigrette provides a nice acidic contrast to the rich, nutty sauce.