INGREDIENTS
2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless, skinless (6 thighs)
4 ounces pancetta cut in small pieces
1 cup each—chopped onions and celery
1 ½ cups chopped carrots
1 ½ cups green peas (fresh are best, frozen are OK)
Celery tops—those leafy green things? Save 4 or 5 leaves!
3 cloves minced garlic (about 1 tablespoon)
½ teaspoon dried oregano
4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons of flour (fine fine fine)
4 small red potatoes, skin on, cut in half (you’ll need about 2 ½ cups)
2 tablespoons medium sherry (or sweet vermouth, or sweet marsala)
Here we go…
If you’re using frozen green peas, measure out a cup and a half and let them sit. You don’t have to defrost them. By the time they’re ready to go in the stew, they’ll be defrosted.
Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Salt and pepper both sides, I use kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Rub it in. Rub-a-dub-dub.
Heat a large pot, like a Dutch oven, over medium heat for 2 minutes.
Add the pancetta, let it cook for 3 or 4 minutes, or until brown. Try and turn the pancetta over and let the other side brown for 3 or 4 more minutes. The objective here is to try and get all sides of the pancetta pieces golden brown.
When the pancetta has browned, remove with a slotted spoon to a small bowl.
There should be some drippings in the bottom of the pan. We need just enough to coat the bottom of the pan—about 1 tablespoon.
If there is not enough, add a drizzle of olive oil until there is. If there’s too much oil, the chicken won’t brown. If there’s too little oil, the chicken will stick to the bottom of the pot. You’re smart. You can do this.
Turn the heat to medium-high for 1 minute.
Add the chicken and let it brown for 5 minutes. Don’t move it around! Let it brown.
When it’s brown, use some tongs and turn each piece over. Let them brown on the other side for 5 minutes, until golden.
The chicken is gonna cook in the stew for another 40 minutes. We don’t want to cook it all the way. We just want the outsides to be seared brown.
Remove the chicken thighs to a platter, and let ‘em cool, baby.
Turn the heat down to medium. There should be enough juicy stuff in the bottom of the pan. We’ll need about 2 tablespoons. If there’s not enough liquid/oil in the bottom of the pan, add a little olive oil.
Add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic and oregano to the pot. Cook the vegetables for 5-6 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Stir frequently.
Put the heat on high. Add the cup of white wine. When it starts to bubble, let it cook off for 1 minute.
Reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add the chicken broth, and turn the heat to high.
Whisk in the flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, make sure it’s smooth.
Add the potatoes. When the broth comes to a boil, let the potatoes cook for 3 minutes, while boiling.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the 2 tablespoons of sherry or sweet vermouth.
Cook for 15 minutes.
The chicken should be cool by now. Cut each chicken thigh into smaller pieces, about the size of a golf ball.
Put the chicken in the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 20 minutes.
Don’t stir! This is a stew. Let it sit and stew for a while. You keep stirring this thing and potatoes are gonna break up, and chicken is gonna break down.
After 20 minutes, give it a stir. Then cook for another 20 minutes.
Add the peas and the pancetta. Cook for 10 minutes.
Scrape the sides of the pot, right above the stew-line. Scrape it right into the stew, this is some flavorful stuff! Give the stew a gentle stir, taste for salt and pepper and adjust.
Stab a potato with a folk—it should be tender. Take a bite of the chicken—it should be firm and just a bit flaky—like me.
Dish it up, and…
MANGIAMO!!!!!!!!!
