Meat mains
Chicken and chorizo paella
An easy-to-make one-pot meal, this is a great way of feeding a crowd. If you double the recipe, just make sure your pot is big enough before you start! Paella rice is fairly widely available, but if you can't find it, use arborio rice. As well as, or instead of the frozen peas, you can stir through any kind of green beans or some spinach.
Ingredients
- pinch saffron threads
- 3 tbsp oil for frying, e.g. vegetable or sunflower
- 1 skinless chicken breast, sliced
- 1 chorizo sausage, cut into chunky pieces
- 1 onion, peeled and sliced
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed
- 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
- ¼ tsp smoked sweet paprika
- 200g paella rice
- 600ml hot veg or chicken stock
- 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 100g frozen peas, or try using finely sliced runner or French beans
- lemon wedges, to serve
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Put the saffron threads in a small heatproof bowl and add a couple of tablespoons boiling water. Leave to infuse.
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Step 2
In a large flat bottomed, heavy based frying pan or paella pan if you have one, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cook the chicken pieces on a medium heat until browned. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon to a plate and leave to one side. Add the chorizo to the same pan and fry until browned. Remove to the chicken plate.
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Step 3
Add the other 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan. Add the onion and fry gently for a few minutes to soften, without allowing them to brown. Add the garlic, pepper and paprika. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
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Step 4
Add the rice, stock and saffron, along with the infused water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 12 minutes, stirring every now and then to stop the rice from catching (keep an eye on the liquid and top up with a tablespoon or two more if needed).
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Step 5
Add the chicken, chorizo and tomato. Simmer for another 4-5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
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Step 6
Add the peas and simmer for 2 minutes (if you're using beans, add them a minute or two earlier, they take longer to cook than the peas).
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Step 7
Season to taste and garnish with lemon wedges to serve.