Season the chicken. Put the almonds in a frying pan over a moderate heat and dry-fry for two minutes, until golden. Remove the almonds from the pan and leave to cool.
Add enough oil to liberally coat the base of the frying pan, and fry the bread for about three minutes, until crisp and golden-brown in parts.
Use a food processor to blend the roasted almonds, fried bread and parsley into a coarse crumb. Set aside.
Add another measure of olive oil to the pan, and fry the garlic over a moderate heat for five minutes, until just golden, then remove to a plate, reserving the oil in the pan.
Add the seasoned chicken to the same pan and fry for five minutes on each side, until deep golden-brown all over.
Return the garlic to the pan with the chicken and bay, and pour in the sherry or wine, shaking the pan to help the wine emulsify with the oil.
Cook for two minutes to evaporate some of the alcohol, then stir in the stock or water, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
At the last minute, add the almond crumb to the pan and barely stir to thicken the braise, keeping some of the crumbs on top for a crunchy texture. Remove from the heat, check the seasoning, then serve.