Chicken with Spinach & Peas

Chicken with spinach & peas is inspired by a classic Ligurian dish, seppie in zimino. In Liguria cuttlefish (seppie), salt cod and chickpeas are often cooked ‘in zimino’, meaning braised with spinach or silver beet and sometimes tomato. So I thought why not pollo in zimino? Zimino comes from the Arabic word ‘semin’, meaning ‘rich sauce’, and the spinach in this dish is meant to be cooked until it breaks down to form part of the rich braising liquid. The green peas are my addition inspired by another traditional Ligurian braise, seppie e piselli, so leave them out if you prefer. I often add peas to my ceci in zimino to create a delicious vegetarian version of this recipe. Serve with steamed rice or, better yet, plenty of focaccia (see video below) to dunk into the sauce, and a complex white wine such as Grey Sands Byzantine from Tasmania. A delicious field blend of chardonnay, viognier and malvasia with a hint of spice and stone fruit and a lovely slightly bitter finish, it’s the perfect foil for this rich braise.

Serves 2

Ingredients

250g chicken thigh fillet, skin off
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ brown onion, finely diced
Salt flakes, to taste
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 sprig rosemary, leaves finely chopped (about 1 teaspoon)
¼ cup dry white wine
250g green peas, shelled
100g baby spinach, washed and dried
Focaccia, for serving

Method

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
Heat oil in a high-sided frying pan or cast-iron dish over low heat.
Add onion and a good pinch of salt, cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until tender but not coloured.
Add garlic and rosemary and stir for 30 seconds or so, until aromatic.
Add wine, increase heat to high and boil for a minute or so, stirring well.
Add spinach, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in chicken and peas, cover and continue cooking for a further 10 minutes or so until chicken is just cooked through and peas are tender.
Serve plenty of focaccia alongside the chicken with spinach & peas to dunk into the sauce.