Chicken and chorizo paella
A little spicy chorizo goes a long way and adds a fabulous flavour to this colourful dish. Brown rice has a wonderful nutty texture and it is more nutritious than white rice.
90 grams (3 oz) chorizo sausage, skinned and diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
350 grams (12 oz) skinless boneless chicken breasts, cubed
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
1 green pepper, deseeded and diced
1 yellow pepper, deseeded and diced
1 1⁄4 cups brown rice
4 tomatoes, finely diced
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 cups boiling water
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1⁄4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1.Dry-fry the chorizo in a large, heavy-based pot or flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the oil and chicken and increase the heat slightly, then cook for about 5 minutes until coloured all over, stirring occasionally. Remove the chicken and chorizo from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside.
2.Add the onion, celery, garlic and peppers to the oil remaining in the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes until the vegetables are softened slightly. Stir in the rice, tomatoes, bay leaves and thyme, then replace the chicken and chorizo and pour in the water. Bring back to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook gently for 25 minutes.
3.Add the peas and corn, forking them lightly into the rice mixture. Re-cover and continue to simmer for a further 5 minutes until the rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed. Discard the bay leaves and thyme stalks and season to taste, then fork through the parsley and serve.
Variation• For vegetarians, omit the chorizo and chicken and cook the vegetables in 2 tablespoons oil. Season with paprika and nutmeg when adding the rice. Add 2 x 398 ml cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed, with the peas.
Serves 4
Preparation time 25 minutes
Cooking time 45 minutes
Each serving
36 g protein • 15.5 g fat of which 4 g saturates • 74 g carbohydrate • 10 g fibre • 456 Calories























