Gino D’Acampo’s Ligurian Chicken

years ago I saw Gino D’Acampo cook Ligurian chicken on his Italian Escape: Hidden Italy series on TV.

I jotted down the ingredients and gave it a go.

Wow !

What a great chicken dish. Packed full of fresh ingredients and Italian flavours.

The garlic, bay and vinegar reminded me of Philippine adobo. Chicken adobo, the national dish of the Philippines, is an absolute favourite of mine, so I was curious to try an Italian take on chicken cooked with vinegar.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 3 tablespoons plain flour
  • 8 chicken pieces (about 1.2kg)
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil,
  • 4 anchovy fillets in oil, drained,
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed,
  • 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
  • 100ml balsamic vinegar
  • 100g pitted green olives, drained
  • 200ml passata
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  1. Coat chicken in flour, brown in the olive oil, remove and set aside.
  2. Fry garlic, anchovies, olives, bay leaf, chilli, and rosemary in the remaining oil.
  3. Add balsamic vinegar, allowing enough time for acidity to boil off.
  4. Add water and passata.
  5. Return chicken to the pan and cook for 40 mins. Allow sauce to reduce.

Serve with Italian bread, seasonal vegetables or rice.