Pollo al Verde

Pollo al Verde is a characteristic dish of Piedmontese cuisine. Its distinctive character is the aromatic green sauce that accompanies it, obtained from a base of fresh parsley and other ingredients that enhance its flavor. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (about 1.5 kg) or chicken parts of your choice
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 bunch of parsley
• 1 bunch of basil
• 2 salted anchovies
• 1 tablespoon of salted capers
• 100 ml of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chicken or vegetable broth as needed

Preparation

1. Start by preparing the chicken. If you have chosen a whole chicken, clean it and cut it into pieces. Thoroughly wash the chicken pieces and pat them dry with paper towels. In a large skillet or pot, brown the chicken in a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil until golden brown on all sides.
2. Add some hot broth and continue cooking covered with a lid, until the chicken is tender and perfectly cooked.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the green sauce. In a mortar, crush the garlic cloves with a pinch of salt until you obtain a cream. Then add the parsley and basil, continuing to crush.
4. Incorporate the previously desalted anchovies and the capers, also desalted and rinsed. Continue working the mixture until you obtain a homogeneous paste.
5. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the extra virgin olive oil in a stream, stirring to emulsify. Adjust the salt and add a pinch of pepper and the wine vinegar.
6. When the chicken is cooked, arrange it on a serving plate and sprinkle the green sauce over it. Let it rest for a few minutes so that the chicken absorbs the flavors of the sauce.

Fun Facts

This recipe has very ancient origins and represents a typical preparation of Piedmontese home cooking. The green sauce, thanks to its freshness, is also very versatile and can accompany other dishes such as mixed boiled meats or be used to flavor vegetables and hard-boiled eggs. The consistency of the sauce can vary according to preferences, from more rustic and full-bodied to finer and more homogeneous.