Chicken Basque-Style

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Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs trimmed of excess skin
• Coarse salt
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 medium onion cut into strips
• 2 bell peppers cut into strips
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 cup dry white wine or water
• 1 can (about 14 ounces) white beans
• Juice of 1/2lemon
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Sprinkle the chicken generously with salt. Keep the chicken in the refrigerator or another cool place while you cook the vegetables.

In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the garlic for 1 to 2 minutes until it turns golden brown. Add the onion, and saute it for about 10 minutes until it is softened. Add the peppers, tomatoes and tomato paste, mix well and season with salt and sugar. Cook, stirring, for about 15 minutes, until the tomatoes release their liquid.

In a deep skillet or stockpot, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes, turning once, until it is lightly browned on all sides. Add the pepper-tomato mixture and the wine, and mix well. Reduce the heat to medium, partially cover the pot, and cook for about 40 minutes, until the sauce thickens and the chicken is cooked through.

Gently stir in the lemon juice and cook 5 minutes more. Serve the chicken and sauce garnished with parsley.