Portuguese chicken stew

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 300 g onion(s)
• 5 cloves garlic
• 500 g tomatoes (plum tomatoes or cocktail tomatoes)
• 1 bunch parsley, flat
• ½ bunch thyme (dried will also work)
• 1 large red pepper
• 1 chicken(s), approx. 2 kg
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• Salt
• 500 ml Vino Verde wine (Portuguese white wine)
• 250 ml chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 200 g white bread sticks
• 150 g green olives, unstuffed
• pepper, black

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

Finely dice the onions. Press 4 garlic cloves through a press. Quarter the tomatoes lengthwise and remove the seeds. Tie half of the herbs into a bunch, pluck the remaining leaves and chop the leaves. Halve the pepper lengthwise and remove the seeds. Rinse the chicken inside and out with cold water and pat dry. Separate the wings at the base of the breast. Separate the legs and halve them at the joint into upper and lower legs. Separate the breast with bones from the back using a heavy knife or poultry shears and cut into 4 pieces. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a casserole dish. Season the chicken pieces with salt and fry in the oil over medium heat on all sides for about 5 to 6 minutes until golden brown. Then remove the chicken and sauté the onions and garlic in the oil over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until translucent. Add the bouquet of herbs, pour in the wine and chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Add the chicken pieces, pepper halves, and bay leaves and cook gently over medium heat with the lid slightly ajar for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the bread into 12 slices. Brush one side of the slices with the remaining oil. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C on the second shelf from the bottom for about 5 to 6 minutes until golden brown (fan oven 175°C, gas mark 3). Peel the remaining garlic clove and rub it into the bread slices. Remove the chicken pieces from the pot and keep warm in a large ovenproof dish or similar in the oven at about 100°C. Remove the herb bouquet from the stock and skim off the fat. Add the olives and tomatoes to the stock and heat gently for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the chicken pieces and sprinkle with the chopped herbs. To serve, place 2 to 3 slices of red garlic on each plate and pour the stew over them.