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Frango no púcaro
Clay-pot chicken with port and ham
Frango no púcaro: Alcobaça clay-pot chicken with port, tomato and cured ham
The monks of the great abbey at Alcobaça, on the edge of the Beira Litoral, are credited with this dish of chicken slow-cooked in a púcaro, a lidded clay pot, with onions, tomatoes, garlic, cured ham and bacon, a splash of port and white wine. Local restaurants still serve it bubbling in the pot with fried or boiled potatoes. This contains pork (presunto and smoked bacon), and it uses port and white wine; an alcohol-free version is given in the ingredient notes. Chef's tip: brown the chicken well before it goes into the pot, as the sealed lid keeps the colour from developing later.
- Total time
- 100 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 oz butter
- 2 ⅞ oz smoked bacondiced
- 2 ⅛ oz presunto or other dry-cured hamdiced
- 2 onionssliced
- 4 cloves garlicsliced
- 3 ripe tomatoespeeled and chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup tawny portor 100 ml red grape juice
- ¾ cup dry white wineor 150 ml chicken stock with 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp mild mustard
- 2 tbsp parsley (optional)chopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Season the 3 ⅛ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone in with the 1 ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Heat the 3 tbsp olive oil and 1 oz butter in a frying pan and brown the chicken in batches over a medium-high heat for 8 minutes, until golden all over.
16 minStep 2: In the same pan, cook the 2 ⅞ oz smoked bacon and 2 ⅛ oz presunto or other dry-cured ham for 3 minutes, until the fat runs, then add the 2 onions and 4 cloves garlic and cook for 8 minutes, until soft and golden.
11 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 350°F. Spread half the onion mixture in a clay pot or casserole, add the chicken, then the remaining onions, the 3 ripe tomatoes and 1 bay leaf.
5 minStep 4: Whisk the ½ cup tawny port, ¾ cup dry white wine and 1 tsp mild mustard together and pour over. Cover tightly and bake for 50–60 minutes, until the chicken is tender and reaches 165°F at the bone.
55 minStep 5: Remove the lid for the last 10 minutes to let the sauce thicken slightly. A common mistake is a watery sauce: if it is still thin, simmer it on the hob for a few minutes. Scatter with 2 tbsp parsley and serve in the pot.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 620 kcal
- Protein
- 50 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 40 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does frango no púcaro take?
- About 100 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 75 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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