Spanish Chicken and Rice

Serves 4.

Note: Author Clodagh McKenna says this simple one-pot supper is a sort of chicken paella that you can bring straight from the stove to the table. Pork or a meaty fish like cod or hake works well, too. If you can't find paella rice, use another short-grain rice, such as arborio. From "Clodagh's Weeknight Kitchen" (2021, Kyle Books).

• 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided

• 4 chicken breasts, skin on

• 1 onion, sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 (4-in.) piece of cooking chorizo, chopped

• 10.5 oz. paella rice, see Note

• 20 oz. chicken stock

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1 tbsp. smoked paprika

• 24 black olives, pitted and chopped

• 6 jarred red piquillo peppers, sliced into strips

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tbsp. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Place a paella pan or an ovenproof casserole dish over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the oil. Once the oil is hot, cook the chicken breasts for 3 minutes on each side until browned, then set aside on a plate.

Add the remaining oil to the pan, stir in the onion, garlic and chorizo and fry gently for 3 minutes. Pour in the rice, stir for a minute, then add the chicken stock, lemon juice, smoked paprika, olives and peppers, and season with salt and pepper. Stir and return the chicken to the pan on top of the rice. Cover and cook over a low-medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed, the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.

Garnish with the parsley and serve.