Chicken Thighs in Romesco Sauce

I love a romesco sauce!  Rich in flavor, easy to make and versatile in use - doesn’t get much better!  We think it’s perfect with the slow-cooked flavors of chicken thighs.  Save any leftover sauce to toss with your favorite pasta or as an appetizer, served with crostini.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

6 chicken thighs (both skinless and skin-on work well)

3 medium red bell peppers, seeds and stems removed, cut into 2-3” chunks

1 medium sweet onion, quartered and layers separated into petals

1 head of garlic

1 sprig of rosemary

1/2 cup Marconi almonds or toasted sunflower seeds

4 oz sundried tomatoes in oil, drained

2 tsp sherry vinegar

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Peel off any excess paper from the garlic head and trim ¼-½ inch off the non-root end to expose the tops of the garlic cloves. In an oven-proof pan or baking dish, place peppers, onion, garlic, and rosemary sprig. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil, season with about a teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and toss to coat vegetables. Cover with aluminum foil and roast for about an hour and a half, until the garlic cloves are softened.

While vegetables are roasting, toast the Marconi almonds in a dry pan on medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 5-7 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant.

Once garlic is cool enough to touch, squeeze cloves out of skin and transfer to the bowl of a food processor along with peppers, onions, and any extra oil or rosemary remaining in the dish. Discard rosemary stem and garlic skin.

To the food processor, add sundried tomatoes, toasted almonds, and vinegar and pulse until nuts and vegetables are broken up, then blend until smooth. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary. Set sauce aside until ready to use.

Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees. Place chicken thighs on a plate and pat dry. Season all over with kosher salt and pepper. Heat a large cast iron pan or oven-safe skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 Tbsp olive oil. When oil is hot, lay in chicken skin side down. Cook 3-5 minutes until nicely browned. Flip and cook 3 minutes longer. Set chicken aside on a clean plate - it will not be fully cooked at this point.

Turn heat down to medium and add half the Romesco sauce to the pan. Using a whisk, combine sauce with bits leftover from searing chicken. Cook for 5-6 minutes, adding a tablespoon or two of water if sauce gets too thick, until sauce is heated through.

Return chicken thighs to pan, nestling them in so they are surrounded by sauce. Place skillet directly in the preheated oven and cook for 25-30 minutes or until internal temperature reads 165 degrees. Serve with extra Romesco or store it in the fridge.