Saffron-braised chicken and potato summer stew
Prep time: 25 minsTotal time: 
Saffron-braised chicken and potato summer stew
Fragrant saffron infuses the broth in this golden chicken stew, which is peppered with briny olives and salty anchovies. It’s best mopped up with warm crusty bread
Prep time: 25 minsTotal time: 
Spencer Lengsfield
Our Senior Food Producer Spencer was born in Los Angeles, so has an inherent love for all things Mexican, Japanese, and Korean but is also heavily influenced by her family’s Louisiana heritage. She loves spice, bright flavours, and fusion food, and she has a soft spot for a chocolate chip cookie.
Spencer Lengsfield
Our Senior Food Producer Spencer was born in Los Angeles, so has an inherent love for all things Mexican, Japanese, and Korean but is also heavily influenced by her family’s Louisiana heritage. She loves spice, bright flavours, and fusion food, and she has a soft spot for a chocolate chip cookie.
Ingredients
- large pinch saffron
- 500ml chicken stock*
- 1kg skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 4 anchovy fillets
- pinch chilli flakes (optional)
- 500g anya potatoes, halved lengthways (or similar waxy potatoes)
- ½ x 180g jar nocellara pitted olives, drained and halved
- 20g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
To serve
- handful flat-leaf parsley or dill, leaves picked
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- warm crusty bread* (optional)
Step by step
Leave the stew to cool completely, then freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then gently reheat in a pan, covered, until piping hot and serve with the herbs, lemon and bread, if you like.
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Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6. Put the saffron in a mortar and gently grind with a pestle. Add a splash of the stock, then pour the saffron liquid into the remaining stock. Set aside.
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Season the chicken on both sides. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole over a medium heat, then cook the chicken, skin-side down, for 6-7 minutes or until deep golden. Remove to a plate. Add the garlic and shallots to the casserole and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the anchovies and chilli flakes, if using. Cook, stirring, for a further 1-2 minutes. Add the potatoes and olives, then return the chicken to the pan, skin-side up. Pour over the saffron-infused stock, season then transfer to the oven. Cook, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes or until the sauce is slightly reduced, the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender. The chicken skin should be slightly crispy.
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Lift the chicken out onto a plate. Add the butter to the casserole and, using oven gloves, gently swirl the pan to emulsify. Stir in the vinegar, then return the chicken to the casserole. If eating right away, scatter over the fresh herbs and serve with the lemon wedges and bread, otherwise, see ‘Get ahead’.
*Use gluten-free chicken stock and bread, if required.
