Matt Preston's Almond Chicken Casserole

Ingredients

4 chicken Marylands
60mL extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
85g blanched almonds
1 brown onion, coarsely chopped
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
80mL dry sherry or white wine
500mL chicken stock
2 fresh or dried bay leaves
Pinch of saffron threads
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
4 eggs, hard boiled, yolks and whites separated
Finely chopped flat leaf parsley to garnish
Steamed rice or your favourite potatoes to serve

Method

Pre-heat oven to 200 C (180 C fan forced).

Place the chicken and half the oil in a bowl and gently toss until well coated. Season with a good sprinkling of salt.

Heat a large frying pan over high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes each side or until browned. Transfer to a baking dish that holds the pieces of chicken snugly in a single layer.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the almonds to the pan and cook, tossing, for 4-6 minutes or until toasted. Transfer to a bowl.

Add the remaining oil and the onion to the pan and cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes or until aromatic. Pour in the sherry or wine and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until reduced by half.

Stir in the toasted almonds, stock, bay leaves, saffron and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat. Discard the bay leaves, then pour the mixture into the cup of your stick blender or a narrow bowl.

Add the egg yolks and blitz until a smooth sauce forms. Pour the almond sauce evenly over the chicken and roast for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the almond custard is golden brown.

Coarsely grate the egg whites over the chicken and season with pepper, then scatter over the parsley. Serve with steamed rice or your favourite potatoes, such as roasted or a buttery mash.

Credits: Recipe and image from Yummy Easy Quick Around the World by Matt Preston. Published by Pan Macmillan. RRP $39.99, available now.