Chicken with Rice, Chorizo, and Tomatoes

 

Chorizo is a type of pork sausage from the Iberian peninsula. I had it first in Portugal and I love it even more than bacon. Just like bacon, anything you put it in will immediately become the most delicious thing in the world. This is a one pan meal and that, combined with delicious, makes this one of my favorite recipes.

Ingredients:

2 pounds chicken thighs

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

3 TBSP oil, divided

4 ounces cured Spanish chorizo, diced

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, chopped  

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ cup white wine or 2 TBSP white wine vinegar

One 14.5 ounce crushed tomatoes or 1 3/4 cups diced fresh tomatoes

1 ½ cups uncooked white rice

2 cups chicken broth

 

Directions:

Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat and add 2 TBSP of oil. Brown the chicken 3-4 minutes on both sides. Transfer to a plate.

If the pan looks dry, warm the last TBSP of oil in it. Otherwise, just add the chorizo and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until it’s beginning to crisp. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin and paprika, and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine (or vinegar) and cook until it’s almost all reduced, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes plus 2 tsp salt (I don't use all the salt). If using whole tomatoes, cook until they lose their shape. Otherwise, a few minutes will do. Nestle the chicken back into the pan, including any juices that collected on the plate. Pour in the broth and rice and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer, and cover the pan. Cook for 20-25 minutes, until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is tender, and the chicken is cooked through. Add more water if the rice is undercooked and continue cooking until done.

If you like you can make the rice crispy by putting on the lid and increasing the heat to medium-high. Cook, moving the pan around every minute or so, allowing the bottom to color evenly. You’ll hear it crackling in the pan. Remove it from the heat and let it rest with the lid on for 10 minutes.

From Smitten Kitchen Keepers, D. Perelman. (2022)