Drunken Chicken ►

Warm the sherry in a small pan over medium heat. Place the raisins in a small bowl and pour the warmed sherry over them. Let marinate at least 20 minutes to soften the raisins.

Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a plate. Roll the chicken pieces in the flour mixture to coat evenly. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it ripples. Add the chicken pieces and fry until well browned on the outside, turning once, about 10 minutes. Do not crowd the skillet; it is better to work in two skillets, or two batches. Lift the fried chicken with tongs and blot on paper towels, then put into a baking dish or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid. Set aside while the sauce is made.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent and golden, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Add the almonds and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the olives and plumped raisins with any remaining sherry and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in 1/4 cup of chicken stock. Add the rest of the stock to the contents of the skillet, stir in the tequila, and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring and scraping the bottom. Add 1/3 cup of vinegar and the sugar. Stir to combine and taste to judge the effect. Add more vinegar gradually to suit taste until the desired tartness is achieved. Stir the cornstarch into the mixture and let it come just to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Cover the baking dish and bake until the chicken is cooked through but not overcooked, about 20 minutes.