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Pollo al Salmorejo Canario

Chicken slow-cooked in a garlicky wine and paprika marinade. One of the most traditional dishes of the Canary Islands — best made the night before.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

The chicken

  • 1 whole chicken, cut into quarters (pollo entero cortado en cuartos) approx. 1.2–1.5kg, or equivalent bone-in pieces
  • olive oil and salt for browning

The marinade (salmorejo)

  • 6 cloves garlic peeled
  • 1 tsp fine salt
  • 2 tsp sweet paprika (pimentón dulce)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin (comino)
  • 1 tsp dried oregano (orégano)
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 200 ml dry white wine use something you would drink — quality carries through to the sauce
  • 3 tbsp white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar — both work well
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 bay leaves (hojas de laurel)

Instructions
 

  • Pound the garlic and salt in a mortar until you have a smooth paste. Add the paprika, cumin, oregano and black pepper and mix well. Add the wine, vinegar and olive oil and stir to combine.
  • Put the chicken pieces in a bowl or zip-lock bag. Pour over the marinade and add the bay leaves. Turn to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours — overnight gives a noticeably better result.
  • Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Remove the pieces from the marinade and keep all the liquid. Pat the chicken pieces dry.
  • Heat a little olive oil in a wide, heavy pan over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken skin-side down for about 4 minutes until golden. Turn and brown the other side. Work in batches if needed — don't crowd the pan.
  • Return all the chicken to the pan and pour over the reserved marinade. It should come about halfway up the pieces — add a splash of water if it's short. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook on low for 35–40 minutes, turning the chicken once halfway through.
  • Remove the lid for the final 10 minutes to let the sauce reduce and thicken. Taste for salt before serving.

Notes

Wine: use something drinkable — a basic supermarket white at €3–5 is fine. The quality carries through to the sauce.
Vinegar: apple cider vinegar works just as well as white wine vinegar.
Chicken: any bone-in pieces work. Ask the butcher for "un pollo entero cortado en cuartos" for a whole chicken in quarters.
Make ahead: this dish is better the next day. Refrigerate once cooled and reheat gently.
Serving: papas arrugadas (wrinkly Canarian potatoes) are the traditional pairing. Thyme-roasted potatoes and green beans also work well.