Chicken Sherry

Six chicken legs rubbed with oil and browned at high heat, then bathed in a sauce of tomato, dry sherry, basil, oregano, and garlic for a 35-minute oven braise. Five minutes of prep, minimal cleanup, and a sauce that practically makes itself while the chicken bakes.

The two-temperature approach matters. Eight minutes at 400°F (200°C) browns the skin before the sauce goes on. Then dropping to 375°F (190°C) lets the chicken cook through gently in the sauce without the skin burning. That initial sear gives the skin texture even after simmering in liquid.

Dry sherry is the ingredient that sets this apart from basic chicken in tomato sauce. ¾ cup is generous, and the alcohol cooks off during baking while leaving behind a warm, nutty depth that makes the sauce taste like it simmered for hours.

Baste the chicken occasionally during the 35-minute bake. Each basting coats the skin with another layer of the sherry-tomato sauce, building up a glossy, flavorful lacquer.

Chef Tips

• Use dry sherry, not cream sherry or cooking sherry. Cooking sherry is loaded with salt and tastes nothing like the real thing.
• Bone-in legs stay juicier than boneless cuts during this long bake.
• Serve over rice, polenta, or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
• The sauce thickens as it cools. Reheat leftovers with a splash of broth.

Variations

• Mushroom sherry chicken: Add 1 cup sliced mushrooms to the sauce before pouring over the chicken.
• Olive and caper: Scatter ¼ cup sliced green olives and 2 tablespoons capers into the sauce for a Mediterranean punch.
• Thigh swap: Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs instead of legs for richer, fattier meat.