Spanish Chicken Stew with Olives and Mashed Potato

What better dish to serve on a winter's night than a hearty Spanish chicken stew on a bed of creamy mashed potato. The stew is flavored with smoked hot paprika which adds a distinctly warm and full-bodied aroma.

For the best, most tender results, use boneless, skinless chicken thighs in this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 tsp of sea salt & 1/2 tsp of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large red bell pepper (capsicum), seeded and sliced into strips
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 3 ripe roma tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tsp of smoked hot paprika
• 3/4 cup of green olives
• 3/4 cup of low-sodium chicken stock
• 1/2 cup of roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 tsp of sea salt
• MASHED POTATOES
• 6 large yellow potatoes (about 3.5lb), peeled and cut into quarters
• 1 Tbsp of butter
• 1/4 cup of milk
• 1/2 to 1 tsp of sea salt
• Serves 4

Preparation:

1. Chop the chicken into bite-size pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil and butter in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the chicken in batches until almost cooked. Transfer chicken to a plate. Set aside.
3. Pour juices from frying pan into a large heavy-based saucepan. Add a little more olive oil if necessary and heat over a medium-high heat. Add the onions and bell peppers and saute for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and paprika and stir-fry for 1 minute.
4. Next, add the tomatoes and fry, stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes.
5. Add the chicken to the saucepan along with the salt and chicken stock. Stir several times and then cover and turn heat down to low. Cook for 40 minutes.
6. Add the olives and parsley and stir well. Taste the stew and add a little more salt if necessary. Cover and simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes on a low heat.
7. Meanwhile, prepare the mashed potatoes. They take about 20 - 25 minutes to boil.
8. Place potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with plenty of cold water. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil over a high heat. Uncover and gently boil for 20 minutes or until tender.
9. Drain potatoes and place back in saucepan. Add butter, milk and salt. Mash with an electric beater or a potato masher until smooth and creamy. Add a little more milk if necessary.
10. Divide mashed potato equally amongst 4 serving bowls and ladle on the chicken stew. Serve immediately.