Chicken braised in almond milk with medjool date salsa

Chicken in an almond sauce with a sweet date salsa

Name: Chicken in an almond sauce with a sweet date salsa
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 2 h
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Italian recipes
Ingredients: For the marinade; 8 British free-range, bone-in skin-on chicken thighs; 100ml olive oil; 2 tsp ground mixed spice; 2 tsp plain flour; For the date salsa; 100g medjool dates; 30ml olive oil; 2 tsp red wine vinegar; For the almond sauce; 100ml light olive oil, plus a glug for browning; 1 onion, finely chopped; 1 leek, trimmed and finely chopped; 1 carrot, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 bay leaves; Pinch saffron strands; 400ml almond milk; 20g flaked almonds, lightly toasted in a dry pan, to serve; Handful fresh coriander, chopped, to serve

Portion size: Serves 4
Hands-on time 1 hour, simmering time 1 hour, plus marinating
Difficulty: easy

Recipe by: Jamie Thickett

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Chicken braised in almond milk and served with a sweet salsa makes for an Italian dish that is rich in flavour, but not too heavy. Enjoy alongside a bitter leaf salad and a glass of soft white – perfect for a summer dinner party.

Looking for something else? We have lots of chicken thigh recipes for you to peruse.

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Ingredients

For the marinade

8 British free-range, bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
100ml olive oil
2 tsp ground mixed spice
2 tsp plain flour

For the date salsa

100g medjool dates
30ml olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar

For the almond sauce

100ml light olive oil, plus a glug for browning
1 onion, finely chopped
1 leek, trimmed and finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
Pinch saffron strands
400ml almond milk
20g flaked almonds, lightly toasted in a dry pan, to serve
Handful fresh coriander, chopped, to serve

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Method

Put the chicken thighs in a large baking tray. Combine all the ingredients for the marinade and pour over the chicken. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge overnight or for at least 2 hours.
For the date salsa, remove the stones from the dates and roughly chop, then put into a small mixing bowl and mix with the olive oil and vinegar. Set aside.
For the almond sauce, heat the 100ml oil in a large heavy-based saucepan or flameproof casserole over a medium heat and gently cook the onion, leek, carrot, garlic and bay leaves for 6-8 minutes until beginning to soften. Add the saffron and the almond milk, then cook until the volume is reduced by half (15-20 minutes). Set aside.
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Heat a glug of oil in a large frying pan (or 2 smaller pans) and brown the marinated chicken all over for 10-12 minutes. Add the chicken to the pan of almond sauce and simmer over a low heat for 1 hour until the chicken is cooked through.
Carefully transfer the chicken thighs to a plate and keep warm, then put the sauce back over a medium heat and reduce until thickened (7-10 minutes). Return the chicken to the sauce and coat well. Serve on a warmed platter, garnished with the date salsa, toasted flaked almonds and chopped fresh coriander, alongside a bitter leaf salad.