Amelia Grace There’s a wonderful rustic charm to Basque cooking, and this chicken dish captures exactly that — peppers, tomatoes and a little cured ham, all cooked together with chicken until everything melds into something rich and deeply savoury.
This is a proper one-pot dinner, the kind that needs very little fuss once everything’s in the pan, and it fills the kitchen with the sort of warm, Mediterranean aroma that makes a weeknight dinner feel like more of an occasion. The colours alone make it a beautiful dish to bring to the table.
Why Browning the Chicken Skin Properly Sets Up the Whole Dish
Getting a good, deep colour on the chicken skin before anything else happens in the pan does more than just look appealing — it builds the entire flavour base for the sauce that follows.
As chicken skin browns, it develops complex, savoury flavour compounds through a process called the Maillard reaction, and those flavours transfer directly into the pan, ready to be built on by the vegetables and liquid that follow.
Skip this step, or rush it with too high a heat, and the finished sauce will taste noticeably flatter, missing that deep, roasted base note that a properly browned chicken skin provides.
Ingredients for Delia Smith Chicken Basque
- 8 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 100g Serrano ham or bacon lardons
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 red peppers, sliced
- 2 yellow peppers, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 150ml dry white wine
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- Fresh parsley, chopped, to finish
How to Make Delia Smith Chicken Basque — Step by Step
Step 1 — Season and Brown the Chicken
Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based casserole dish over medium-high heat and brown the chicken, skin-side down first, for 5–6 minutes per side, until deeply golden. Set aside.
Step 2 — Cook the Ham
In the same pan, cook the Serrano ham or bacon lardons for 2–3 minutes, until lightly crisp.
Step 3 — Soften the Vegetables
Add the onion and peppers to the pan and cook for 8–10 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic for a final minute.
Step 4 — Deglaze with Wine
Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the base of the pan, and let it bubble for 2 minutes.
Step 5 — Add the Tomatoes
Stir in the chopped tomatoes and bay leaf.
Step 6 — Return the Chicken
Nestle the browned chicken thighs back into the pan, skin-side up, so the skin stays above the liquid and remains crisp.
Step 7 — Simmer
Cover and simmer gently for 35–40 minutes, until the chicken is completely cooked through and tender.
Step 8 — Finish and Serve
Remove the bay leaf, scatter with fresh parsley, and serve straight from the pot.
My Top Tips for the Best Delia Smith Chicken Basque
Take your time browning the chicken skin. This step builds the foundation of flavour for the entire dish, so don’t rush it, even though it takes a few extra minutes.
Keep the chicken skin above the liquid while simmering. This is what keeps it from turning soft and soggy, so nestle the pieces in skin-side up rather than submerging them.
Use a mix of red and yellow peppers. Beyond looking beautiful, the slight sweetness of yellow peppers balances nicely against the more robust flavour of red.
Deglaze properly with the wine. Scraping up those browned bits stuck to the pan lifts a huge amount of flavour straight into the sauce.
Don’t rush the simmering time. The chicken needs those 35 to 40 minutes to become properly tender and for the sauce to develop its full flavour.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with crusty bread to mop up the sauce, or with plain rice to soak up all that flavour. A simple green salad on the side is a nice, light accompaniment.
How to Store Delia Smith Chicken Basque
In the fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The flavour often improves after a day or two.
At room temperature: Not suitable — cool and refrigerate promptly after cooking.
In the freezer: Freezes well for up to 3 months. Defrost fully in the fridge before reheating gently until piping hot throughout.
Delia Smith Chicken Basque Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Season and brown the chicken thighs, skin-side down first. Set aside.
- Cook the Serrano ham until lightly crisp.
- Soften the onion and peppers, then add garlic.
- Deglaze with white wine, scraping up browned bits.
- Stir in tomatoes and bay leaf.
- Nestle the chicken back in, skin-side up.
- Cover and simmer for 35–40 minutes until cooked through.
- Remove bay leaf, scatter with parsley, and serve.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions About Delia Smith Chicken Basque
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
You can, though thighs stay considerably more moist and tender over the simmering time, as breast meat can dry out more easily during longer cooking.
Why is it important to keep the chicken skin above the liquid?
Submerging the skin in the sauce as it simmers means it turns soft and soggy rather than staying crisp, so nestling the chicken skin-side up preserves that texture.
Can I make this without wine?
Yes, simply replace the white wine with extra chicken stock for a similar, though slightly less complex, depth of flavour.
Can I make this dish ahead of time?
Yes, this dish reheats very well, so it’s a good option to make a day ahead and simply warm through gently before serving.
