Dry sherry—ask for Fino—is among the world’s most distinctive wines and also among the best for cooking. Here it’s used as the basis for a rich but low fat sauce that is an absolute classic.With bread or rice, this is an incredible dish.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

　　1 chicken, 3 to 4 pounds, cut into serving pieces, or 2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken parts, trimmed of excess fat

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　2 garlic cloves, chopped

　　1 large onion, chopped

　　1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, trimmed and sliced

　　1 cup dry sherry

　　1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

　　

Step 1

Heat the oil in a large deep skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the skillet, skin side down, and brown it well, rotating and turning the pieces as necessary, 10 to 15 minutes. About halfway through the browning, add some salt and pepper.

　　

Step 2

Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat. Add the garlic, onion, and mushrooms and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Return the chicken to the skillet and add the sherry. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat, cover partially, and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 45 minutes. If the mixture becomes dry, add some water.

　　

Step 4

Season to taste with salt and pepper, garnish with parsley, and serve.

　　

Roast Mushroom Sherry Chicken

Step 5

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat the bottom of a roasting pan with the oil and arrange the chicken pieces, skin side up, in the pan. Put the garlic, onion, and mushrooms around the chicken and sprinkle everything with salt and pepper. Pour the sherry into the pan and bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes, basting every 10 minutes. If the mixture becomes dry, add some water to the pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper, garnish with parsley, and serve.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.