Name: Ibiza-Style Lamb and Chicken Country Stew
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 1 lb lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1.5-inch chunks; 1 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs; 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 2 medium yellow onions, finely diced; 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced into strips; 2 ripe roma tomatoes, grated on the large holes of a box grater; 1 tsp sweet Spanish smoked paprika (pimentu00f3n dulce); 1/4 tsp saffron threads, bloomed in 2 tbsp warm water; 1 1/2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks; 3/4 cup dry white wine; 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 2 sprigs fresh thyme; 1 bay leaf; 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; 1 tsp fresh lemon juice; 1 tbsp toasted pine nuts, for crunch; Crusty rustic bread, for serving

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Sofrit pagès is the rustic, slow-cooked farmhouse stew of the Balearic island of Ibiza, traditionally served at family gatherings in a wide clay cazuela. It brings together lamb and chicken with potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, and fragrant herbs into one deeply savory, comforting pot. This is the kind of dish that tastes even better the day after it is made.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time75 mins

Total Time95 mins

Servings4

Yield4 servings

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

720 kcalCalories
38 gFat
11 gSaturated Fat
48 gCarbs
6 gFiber
8 gSugar
48 gProtein
720 mgSodium
1180 mgPotassium
95 mgCalcium
5 mgIron
65 mgVitamin C
190 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the meats

1 lb lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1.5-inch chunks
1 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

For the sofrito base

2 medium yellow onions, finely diced
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced into strips
2 ripe roma tomatoes, grated on the large holes of a box grater
1 tsp sweet Spanish smoked paprika (pimentón dulce)
1/4 tsp saffron threads, bloomed in 2 tbsp warm water

For the stew

1 1/2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
3/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf

To finish

2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp toasted pine nuts, for crunch
Crusty rustic bread, for serving

Directions

Pat the lamb and chicken pieces thoroughly dry, then season all over with the salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a wide 6-quart earthenware cazuela or Dutch oven over medium-high until shimmering.
Working in batches without crowding, sear the lamb chunks for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the chicken thighs, skin side down first, until the skin is golden and crisp, then transfer to the plate.
Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat, lower the heat to medium, and add the onions, garlic, and bell peppers. Cook, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes until the onions are translucent and the peppers have softened.
Stir in the grated tomatoes, smoked paprika, and the bloomed saffron with its water. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom, until the mixture thickens into a jammy sofrito.
Return the lamb and chicken to the pot along with any accumulated juices. Add the potatoes, white wine, chicken broth, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Stir once, then bring to a gentle boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer gently for 45 minutes, stirring once or twice so the potatoes do not stick to the bottom.
Uncover and continue to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes more, until the lamb is fork-tender, the potatoes have absorbed much of the liquid, and the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Discard the thyme stems and bay leaf, stir in the parsley, lemon juice, and toasted pine nuts, then taste for salt and pepper. Let the stew rest off the heat for 5 minutes so the flavors settle.
Serve hot in shallow bowls, spooning plenty of the sauce and potatoes alongside the meats, with thick slices of crusty bread to mop up the juices.

Cook’s Notes

For the most authentic flavor, cook the stew in a traditional clay cazuela that has been soaked in water for at least 30 minutes; the clay imparts a subtle earthiness that metal cannot replicate.
Sofrit pagès is famously better the next day. Refrigerate overnight, scrape off the solidified fat, and reheat gently over low heat with a splash of broth to refresh the sauce.
If saffron is unavailable, double the smoked paprika and add a small pinch of ground cumin for a similar warm depth of flavor.
Bone-in, skin-on chicken is essential here: it provides collagen that enriches the broth and fat that bastes the potatoes as they cook.
Use a wide, shallow pot rather than a tall one so the liquid reduces at the right rate and the potatoes stay submerged while the sauce thickens properly.

DinnerSavoureux