Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the bread and garlic and fry until brown, then toss in the parsley sprigs. Remove from the pan and put into a blender with a slotted spoon, leaving the oil in the pan.
Add almonds,spices, saffron, lemon zest and juice and the wine or sherry to the blender and blend to a thick sauce. Set aside.
Reheat the oil remaining iun the pan and gently fry the onion and chicken pieces, adding more oil if needed. When the onions are soft and the chicken is lightly browned, stir in the sauce.
Bring to the boil then cover and reduce heat. Simmer gently for 20-30 minutes until the chicken is tender, adding more water if it is drying out too much.