Chicken Monterey

Source: Silver Palate Cookbook p.92

Ingredients

• 5 Olive Oil
• 1 lb. Chicken, Quartered (I Use Pieces)
• Salt And Pepper To Taste
• 1 cup Yellow Onions, Finely Chopped
• 2 Carrots, Peeled And Chopped
• 4 Garlic Cloves, Peeled And Minced
• 1 cup Chicken Stock Or Broth
• ½ cup Fresh Orange Juice
• ½ cup Canned Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 Dried Rosemary
• 1 medium Sweet Red Pepper, Stemmed, Cored, Julienned
• ½ large Zucchini, Cleaned, Sliced Diagonally
• ½ large Yellow Summer Squash, cleaned, sliced diagonally
• ⅓ cup Italian Parsley, Chopped
• 1 Orange Zest

Method

1. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet. Pat the chicken pieces dry, season them with salt and pepper, and cook gently in the oil for 5 minutes. Turn the chicken, season again, then cook for another 5 minutes. Do not attempt to brown chicken or you will overcook it; it should be pale gold. Remove chicken from skillet and reserve.

2. Add the onions, carrots and garlic to the oil remaining in the skillet and cook, covered, over low heat until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.

3. Uncover skillet and add the stock, orange juice, tomatoes and rosemary. Season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer the mixture, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

4. Return chicken pieces to the pan and simmer further, 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is nearly done. Baste the pieces with the sauce and turn them once at the 15-minute mark. (If you wish, you may complete the recipe to this point the day before serving. Refrigerate chicken in the sauce and reheat gently before proceeding.)

5. Heat remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil in another skillet and saute the pepper julienne for 5 min. Add sliced zucchini and yellow squash and season with salt and pepper. Raise the heat and toss the vegetables in the oil until they are tender but still firm, another 5 minutes or so.

6. With a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to the skillet with the chicken and simmer together for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and orange zest and serve immediately.

Serves 2 to 4 portions. (I used about 8 thigh pieces and 10 legs and doubled the recipe for 9 people)