Chorizo and I have a long history. It is the meat I craved the most while I spent two years as a vegetarian. So I'm biased toward Spanish food.
This week, I tried adding some chicken and rice to chorizo. The results were amazing.
There were a few steps, and getting it cooked required a bit more organisation than I normally apply in the kitchen. I recommend slicing the ingredients in advance, as there is not much time between each step once you get started.
You will need:
- 4 small chicken thighs (I used boneless skin free)
- 2 chorizo sausages, sliced
- 160g short or medium grain rice (Calasparra if you're being fancy)
- 1 small onion, thinly diced
- 1 red capsicum, thinly diced
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- a pinch of saffron threads (if you have them)
- 250g (1 punnet) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup oregano (I used a fresh paste)
- 500 mL chicken stock (use real stock, it matters)
- a handful of green beans, cut in half
First, prepare the chicken. Dust the pieces in a mixture of flour and salt, seasoned to taste. Then in a large (24cm) deep frying pan (or paella pan), fry the chicken in a few tablespoons of olive oil on a medium to high heat. The chicken should end up golden after 3-4 minutes. Remove and put aside.
Add the chorizo (yum!) to the pan and cook for a few minutes until golden. Set aside with the chicken.
Add the rice to the oil, stir to coat, and then stir for another 2-3 minutes until browned. From here, it is mostly about adding flavour to the rice.
Add onion, capsicum, and garlic. Stir frequently until the onion is very soft. Takes about 6-7 minutes. Then add the spices and stir until fragrant (1 minute).
Add in the liquid stock, tomatoes, capsicum, and chorizo. Place the chicken on top and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid or with foil and cook for 10 minutes. Add the beans and cook covered for a further 6-8 minutes.
If you can resist the wonderful smell, let it stand for 5 minutes to soak up the remaining liquid. Serve and enjoy!
Based on a recipe from Gourmet Traveller.
