• 1 free-range chicken, about 1.5–1.7kg
• 100g chorizo sausage
• 1 large or 2 smaller onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 red peppers, cut into 1cm thick lengths
• 4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• 100g stoned green olives
• ½ tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• A pinch of saffron (optional)
• 3–4 sprigs of marjoram
• 150g pearled spelt or barley, soaked in fresh water for an hour and drained
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 750ml chicken stock
• 1 medium or 2 small preserved lemons
• 6 fresh bay leaves
• 1 small bunch of parsley, leaves picked and chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve

Chicken stock (makes 1–1.5 litres)

• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 large carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, bashed
• 6 sprigs of thyme
• A few parsley stalks
• 2–3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp black peppercorns

Place the chicken on a large chopping board. Use a sharp knife to remove the legs and wings. Cut the breasts away from the bird and halve them. Set the jointed portions aside. Place the carcass in a medium roasting tin. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil. Roast in a hot oven for 40 minutes.

Tear the roasted carcass into several pieces and pack them into a medium saucepan, along with any skin, fat, jelly, or other tasty morsels from the roasting tray. Add the vegetables, herbs, and peppercorns, packing them in neatly. Pour over enough water to cover everything well. Bring the pan to a very low simmer and cook, uncovered, for 2–3 hours, topping up the water if necessary. Once cooked, pass the stock through a fine sieve into a clean bowl or container. Cool, then refrigerate until needed.

To make the dish itself, set a large heavy-based casserole pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and, when hot, add the chicken pieces. Season with salt and pepper and fry, turning regularly, until crisping golden and smelling delicious. Lift the chicken out onto a plate.

Slice the chorizo into chunky rounds and add it to the pan along with the red peppers, onions, garlic, fennel seeds, and paprika. Fry everything, stirring regularly, for 8–10 minutes.

Add the pearled spelt, saffron (if using), green olives, marjoram, and about 500ml of chicken stock. Give it all a stir, then arrange the chicken pieces over the top of the spelt and peppers. Cut the preserved lemon into quarters, discard the flesh, and thinly slice the skin. Scatter this around the chicken. Tuck in the bay leaves and place a lid on the pan. Cook in a preheated oven at 170°C fan for 1 hour.

The chicken should be nice and tender, with the meat coming away from the bone with ease.

Rest for 15 minutes before drizzling with extra-virgin olive oil and serving with crusty bread and the chopped parsley.