Chicken Paprika

This one never fails to please and the cheat’s method works extremely well in the small, 3 inches (7.5 cm) sided casserole with the clip-on handle that we recommended in this column last year. A great investment as it works as saucepan, casserole or sauté pan and can be used on top of the stove or in the oven. However, if you don’t have one, any suitably sized casserole will do - but it needs to be shallow because the principle is no more boring browning of meat or chicken when you are in a hurry because the browning is done in the oven which leaves you free. The prize for one of the best ready-made sauces on the market goes to Heinz for their superb Tomato Frito and to Karyatis who, without doubt, have the finest ready-roasted peppers. So, a big thank you to both for making cheating not just easy but also tasting so supremely good in the bargain.

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  Serves 2

Ingredients
1 medium onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 free-range chicken thighs
6 oz (175 g) roasted red peppers (preferably Karyatis)
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 x 560 g jar Heinz Tomato Frito
5 fl oz (150 ml) dry white wine
1 slightly rounded dessertspoon hot paprika, plus a little extra to serve
2 rounded tablespoons crème fraîche
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4, 350ºF (180ºC).

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Equipment
For this you can use any shallow, ovenproof pan or casserole with a lid that will hold the chicken thighs comfortably (see How to Cheat Equipment Hero note, below).

This recipe first appeared in You Magazine.

Method

While the oven is pre-heating, peel and roughly chop the onion, place it in the pan (or casserole) and toss it with a little of the oil. Then put the chicken thighs on top of the onion, drizzle the rest of the oil over and season well with salt and freshly milled black pepper. Place the pan (or casserole) on the top shelf of the oven for the chicken to cook without a lid for 30-40 minutes or until the skin is lightly golden brown.

Towards the end of that time, drain the peppers and slice them into 1 inch (2.5 cm) strips, then mix them together with the garlic, Tomato Frito, dry white wine and the dessertspoon of paprika. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and bring it up to simmering point. Then pour the tomato mixture over the chicken, this time cover with a lid and return it to the oven for a further 30 minutes.

Just before serving, swirl in the crème fraîche to give a marbled effect and sprinkle with a little extra paprika. I like this served with some nutty brown rice.

How to Cheat Hero Ingredients
Karyatis roasted red peppers in brine
560g jar Heinz Tomato Frito

How To Cheat Equipment Hero
Berndes 24cm removable handle sauté pan which can be used on top of the stove or in the oven as a small casserole. Available from: Aga shops and other good cookshops. Delia says, 'I prefer this pan for all manner of quick meals for two – it has a detachable handle which can be attached or detached with one hand whilst still in the oven.'

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