RICE WITH CHICKEN & CHORIZO

Prep: 15 mins. Cooking: 40 mins + standing. Serves 4

4 small (about 180g each) chicken thighs,

skin on, bone in

Seasoned plain flour, for dusting

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 dried chorizo, thickly sliced diagonally 1 ¼ cups (240g) Calasparra rice

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 small red capsicum, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp smoked sweet paprika

Pinch saffron threads

250g cherry tomatoes, halved or

quartered if large

¼ cup fresh oregano leaves, plus

extra to serve

2½ cups (625ml) chicken stock

80g Italian flat beans, trimmed and

roughly chopped into 6cm lengths

1 Dust chicken in seasoned flour; shake off excess, set aside. Heat olive oil in a 34cm-diameter paella pan over mediumhigh heat, add chicken, skin-side down, and cook until golden, about 5 mins; transfer to a plate. Add chorizo, sauté until golden, 2–3 mins, transfer to a plate and set aside. Add rice to same pan, stirring to coat well, then continue to cook, stirring occasionally until browned, about 2 mins. Add onion and capsicum and sauté until onion is very soft, about 6 mins. Add garlic, paprika and saffron and sauté until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes, oregano leaves, stock and reserved chorizo.

2 Place chicken on top of rice, skin-side up, bring to a simmer, then cover with foil. Reduce heat to low and cook a further 10 mins. Add beans, replace foil and cook until rice is just cooked, about 7 mins.

Stand 5 mins, season, scatter with extra oregano and serve.

TIP Calasparra is a short-grain Spanish rice available from select delicatessens.