Chicken Marengo

Method

Step 1
Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy-based casserole or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook them for 4–5 minutes until they soften and release their moisture. They should look slightly shrunken and glossy, not browned to death. If you rush this, they’ll dump water later and thin the sauce — let them cook properly now.

Step 2
Push the mushrooms to the side and add the chicken legs. Cook them for a few minutes on each side just until lightly colored. You’re not trying to cook them through — this step is about building flavor. If the pan looks dry, don’t add more oil yet; the chicken skin will render fat as it heats.

Step 3
Pour in the passata, crumble in the stock cube, and add the olives. Stir gently so you don’t knock the chicken apart. The sauce should look loose but not watery. Grind in black pepper. Skip salt for now — the olives and stock already bring enough salt, and over-salting here is a common mistake.

Step 4
Bring everything to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid, and lower the heat. Let it cook for about 40 minutes. You want slow bubbling, not aggressive boiling. The chicken is done when it’s tender and pulls easily from the bone. If the sauce thickens too much, add a small splash of water.

Step 5
Taste the sauce and adjust pepper if needed. Sprinkle with chopped parsley right before serving. This fresh hit matters — skip it and the dish tastes flatter than it should.