Tapenade stuffed chicken thigh stew
For a special family meal or laid-back dinner party I like serving stuffed chicken thighs. This time I stuffed them with tapenade (black olive paste) and made a peperonata stew for them. I served them with mashed potatoes & salad, but rice, pasta or rustic fresh bread would be fine too. This tapenade stuffed chicken thigh stew is perfect for dinner parties – you can precook the chicken or even the whole dish, so you can concentrate on the starter and/or dessert on the day.
Ingredients
Method
- Lay the chicken thighs on a large chopping boards and season with salt and pepper.
- Put the stuffing ingredients into a small food processor and whiz until you get a coarse, sticky paste. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Put a a spoonful of this mixture in the middle of the chicken thighs and carefully roll them up. Secure them with mini stainless steel poultry pins.
- Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a casserole dish and brown the chicken all over, then set them aside.
- Thinly slice the onion & red pepper.
- Heat the oil in the casserole dish and add the sliced onion & pepper. Cook over low heat, then add the garlic, stir for a few seconds and add the vinegar. Deglaze the dish, then add the tomato purée and herbs. Add the red pepper and pour over the tinned tomatoes and stock. Using a wooden spoon, break up the tomatoes. Add any remaining tapenade. Put a lid on and gently cook for 10 minutes, then add the chicken and cook for another 20 minutes or so, until you get a thick sauce. Taste, adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Stir in the olives and parsley.
- Serve with pine nuts scattered on top.