Mediterranean, Chicken, Chorizo, Sun-dried Tomatoes, Olives, Fresh Oranges

I figured now is a good time to write a blog post, I’m sniffling away under a duvet on my sofa, fireplace on, diary cancelled for the day, trying to combat the cold before I head to Paris later in the week!

Taste sensations need to be back to normal for all that eating I want to do over there

Anyway, on Sunday night I didn’t cook (rare occasion) but my husband did and this was a dish he tried out, Chicken Basque. He basically loves all types of chicken and rice combinations and has been experimenting with these.

This dish is a mix of chicken and rice, olives and peppers is typical of all the regions around the West Mediterranean but this Spanish version, with added chorizo sausage and paprika, is delicious!

This recipe has rice in it also, it’s a one pot wonder and can be eaten by itself. I don’t normally favour Delia Smith recipes, but after trying this one it was utterly flavoursome and the dish is full of robust and powerful tastes that satisfy the palette.

The method is simple, you sear the chicken first then set aside, add the onion, peppers, then chorizo, sun dried tomatoes, garlic and mix in the rice when the oil from the chorizo has started to seep out and become fragrant. Then in go all the fresh herbs and spices, stock, wine and seasoning. The chicken is placed on top of everything and scattered with olives and fresh orange wedges. This is slow cooked in the oven for around an hour, nothing else needed to do.

The result is a beautiful pot of orange and red vibrant colours, crisp skinned chicken, olive and sun-dried tomato juices all mixing in to make the rice fragrant, mushy and delicious. And with a smoky punch from the chorizo, a perfect addition! Even having the fresh orange wedges added a subtle sweetness and hint of summer colour to the dish, this one pot dish is perfect for sharing.

Check out Delia’s Recipe here: Chicken Basque