A preparation from the french basque area. The versions that are made on the Spanish side have fewer ingredients but we have chosen this one because it is very tasty.
INGREDIENTS (4 people)
1 chicken cut into pieces (that is, two longitudinal halves and of these two transverse halves, to finally make another two halves, that is, 8 pieces)
800 grams (1.76 pounds) of ox-heart tomatoes
400 grams (0.88 pounds) of peppers (a combination of reds and greens is the best)
1 clove garlic
2 purple (sweet) or fresh onions
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs of thyme
100 grams (1.76 oz) of ham in small dices
A cup of white wine
Extra virgin olive oil
25 g (0.88 oz) unsaltered butter
Salt
Ground black pepper
The ox-heart tomato is an intense, large, irregularly shaped red tomato that usually has few seeds and a thin skin. If you do not find them you can use ripe red tomatoes.
First of all in a large casserole we pour a generous stream of olive oil and butter. In it, over medium heat, fry the chicken pieces until golden brown. We withdraw it and reserve.
In the same casserole where we have fried the chicken we proceed to incorporate the onions and peppers, all well chopped. We add the clove of garlic also chopped and without the green germ and the ham in small dices, in addition to a pinch of salt so that the onion gives all the water. We let do until the stir fry (about ten minutes over medium-low heat should be enough).
Then we add the glass of wine and let it reduce by half. Add the peeled and seeded tomatoes, cut into small dices, in addition to the thyme and bay leaf. We incorporate the previously fried chicken and let it do for 30 minutes rectifying salt and pepper five minutes before finishing cooking. Stir occasionally.
In this case, the chicken must be cooked with the casserole covered, although if there is too much liquid left in the end, it can be finished with the casserole open to evaporate.
It is usually served with cooked white rice. It's a really tasty chicken !