Chicken with green olives and lemons

Method

Put spices and flour into a polythene bag and season. Add chicken and shake until covered with the flour mixture. Shake off excess
and set aside leftover flour.

Heat 1tbsp oil in a large flameproof casserole over a medium heat. Fry chicken in batches until golden. Avoid overcrowding the pan as it will lower the temperature and the chicken won't brown. Remove chicken and set aside.

Put remaining oil in the same pan and cook onion over a low heat for 10min. Add garlic and cook for 1min. Turn up heat to medium and add leftover flour. Cook for 1min, stirring to soak up the oil. Scrape up any browned bits from the base of the pan - these will add flavour. Gradually stir in the sherry (it will bubble and thicken), followed by the stock.

Halve lemons, scrape out the pulp and discard. Add peel to the pan along with the chicken. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 30min. Stir in the olives and cook for 15min until the chicken is done - the juices should run clear when you pierce the flesh with a knife.

Remove chicken, olives, onions and lemons with a slotted spoon (don't worry if you leave some onion behind) and keep warm. Turn up heat and boil sauce rapidly until it reduces by about one-third and turns syrupy. Taste and add more seasoning if it needs it, along with the lemon juice. Return chicken, olives, onions and lemons to the casserole, then take it to the table and serve from the dish - more relaxed than plating everything up in the kitchen.