Chicken & Chorizo with Rice

Aren’t you proud of me dear readers? I haven’t posted a chicken recipe in a while – that is, until today. I found this recipe in the most unexpected place: The Rachel Ray Show. I’ve always liked Rachel Ray but I was reluctant to try any of her recipes because some of them looked a bit messy and, I am a bit embarrassed to admit it, because she was not a chef.  One day, I was watching TV and her show was on. She was making a chicken dish – “boring” I thought – until she mentioned the word “chorizo.” I love chorizo. I paid more attention to the dish she was making and I thought the recipe looked great and really easy to make. I stopped listening to the snob within me and decided to give Rachel Ray a chance. The following day I made this recipe (with a few tweaks from the original recipe) and everyone loved it. All of a sudden, chicken did not seem so boring.

This recipe is great when you want to have people over but don’t have much time to cook. The smell from the kitchen will make your guests go hungry: the lemon and bay leaves cooking with the chicken leave a wonderful smell in your kitchen. And, when you serve it on a nice platter, it looks beautiful. Oh, and the next day, this dish tastes even better. That is, if there are any leftovers. Go and get cooking!

Chicken & Chorizo with Rice

Adapted from Rachel Ray’s “lemon-Garlic Spanish Chicken Thighs and Rice Pilaf” recipe

Serves: 4-5 people

Ingredients:

1/3 pound of Spanish Chorizo, casing removed and sliced on an angle 1-inch thick

8 chicken thighs

4 small onions, quartered lengthwise

1 small lemon, sliced crosswise

½ cup pimento-stuffed green olives

4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons paprika

½ cup dry white wine

½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon butter

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

Cooked rice (optional)

1. In a large, deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the chorizo. Cook on medium heat until browned, approximately 2 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate covered with a paper towel. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Cook over medium heat, turning once, until browned, approximately 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

2. Add one more tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook on medium heat tossing frequently for approximately 2 minutes. Add the lemons, olives, garlic, bay leaves and paprika. Cook, stirring frequently for approximately 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, scrapping the browned bits from the pan. Stir in the chicken stock.

3. Return the chicken and chorizo to the skillet, cover the pan, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer all the solid ingredients to a platter. Reduce the sauce for a minute over high heat, then stir in the butter and parsley. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Discard the bay leaves and serve with cooked rice.

If you have any questions or comments, you can contact me at goodsazon@gmail.com