Chicken Basque

Inspired by Delia Smith's excellent version, this is a tasty mix of chicken, chorizo and rice that doesn't require an oven, making it great for hot summer days.

Ingredients

• 1 small chicken, jointed into eighths - fry up the spine with 400ml water and simmer for 20 minutes to make the stock used later on
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 red peppers, cut into 1cm wide strips
• 3 small onions, peeled, halfed and cut into 1 cm wide strips
• 10 sundried tomatoes, cut into 1 cm wide strips
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely minced
• 150g chorizo, peeled and cut into 1cm wide slices
• 1 plumb tomato, cut into small pieces
• 225ml of brown basmati rice
• 280ml of chicken stock
• 170ml of white wine
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 12 black olives, cut in half
• 1 orange, cut into eighths and pithy core removed

Method

1. Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large casserole dish (it should have a lid that fits well) over a high heat.
2. Fry the outside of the chicken pieces, three at a time, until starting to go a golden brown colour (place to once side once they're browned).
3. Once all the chicken is browned, add the remaining olive oil and reduce the heat to medium.
4. Throw in the onion and pepper slices into the hot oil and stir-fry for five minutes.
5. Add the garlic, chorizo slices and sundried tomatoes to the pan and give everything a good stir before frying for another couple of minutes.
6. Pour in the rice and stir it into the vegetable mixture before adding the chicken stock, wine, paprika and dried herbs.
7. Bring to a simmer and then turn the hob down to the lowest setting.
8. Place the browned chicken pieces over the top of the rice mixture before sprinkling over the olives and orange slices.
9. Cook on the lowest heat for 1 hour and then serve (first check that the thickest parts of the chicken pieces are all over 74 degrees Celsius).

Serves 4 to 6, depending on how hungry they are.