Cha-cha's Chicken and Peas

Cha-cha's Chicken and Peas

When I'm under the weather or just feeling out of sorts, all I want is a cup of hot tea, my fuzzy blanket, and my Mom to cook for me. Well, my Mom lives in Portugal and I live in Alaska so this poses a small logistical problem. The only thing to do then is to drag myself off the couch and get in the kitchen to cook one of Mom's delicious and comforting dishes. Something familiar and satisfying but not too labor intensive, a dish perfect for a cold winter's day when you really need some love from your Mom. Cha-cha's Chicken and Peas hits the spot and always turns out great, but of course it's never quite as good as when she makes it! Cha-cha is what the Grandkids call her, because although she was thrilled to become a Grandma, she really didn't want to be called "Granny", and "Cha-cha" just seems to suite her. So while my house fills with the mouth-watering aroma of chicken, onions, and linguica, I'll feel Cha-cha's love filling the house. And until we're together again and she can cook for me, I'm happy that she showed me how to make this for my family. Thanks, Mom.

Cha-cha's Chicken and Peas

(all quantities are approximate, feel free to adjust for the number of people you are feeding)

8 to 10 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin off
extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 link of linguica sausage, chopped into small chunks
3 or 4 cloves of garlic, peeled, smashed, chopped
2 or 3 Tbls. tomato paste
2 or 3 cups dry white wine or chicken stock
2 bay leaves
about 3 cups frozen green peas

Use a heavy dutch oven with a lid or if you don't have one, simply start everything in a large sauté pan then transfer to a covered baking dish.

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in pan. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and a little paprika. Brown chicken in hot oil on both sides , remove to plate and cover with foil to keep warm (it will finish cooking in oven). Add a little more olive oil to the pan and sauté onions, carrots, linguica, and garlic until vegetables begin to soften. Add tomato paste and continue cooking for a few minutes. Add wine or chicken stock and bay leaves, then nestle chicken into the vegetables and sauce in the pan. Cover with lid and put into a 325 degree oven for about 1 hour. Remove from oven and stir in peas and a little more stock or water if sauce is too thick, recover and put back in the oven for about another hour or until the chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender.
 Serve over rice or mashed potatoes and instantly feel better!