Chicken with Anchovies and Olives Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 free-range chicken legs
• 1tbsp oil
• 150g (5oz) pancetta, cubed
• 1 x 50g tin anchovies, drained and chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 sticks celery, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 150ml (¼pt) full-bodied red wine
• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 150g (5oz) black olives, pitted

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180 C, 160 C fan, 350 F, gas 4. Season the chicken. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the chicken until golden all over. Transfer to a large saucepan, wipe out the frying pan, then fry the pancetta and anchovies until the pancetta is crispy and the anchovies have melted.

2. Add the onions, celery and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes or until the onion is tender. Add the wine and stir with a wooden spoon, allowing to bubble for a minute or so until the sharp alcohol smell disappears.

3. Transfer to the saucepan with the chicken, add the tomatoes, bay leaves and thyme and bring to the boil. When it begins to simmer, cover and transfer to the oven for 1 hour, uncovering for the last 20 minutes, then add the olives. The sauce should be fairly thin, but if you like it thicker, remove the chicken from the pan, place the pan on the hob and bring the sauce to a boil until it thickens. This will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or up to a month in the freezer. Serve with our warm citrus cannellini beans and a romaine lettuce salad with a vinaigrette.