Chicken and saffron rice

Name: Chicken and saffron rice
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4 to 6
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 1.6 kg chicken, cut into 12 pieces; Fine sea salt and black pepper; 80 ml olive oil; 1 brown onion, finely diced; 1 red capsicum, seeded and finely diced; 1 green capsicum, seeded and finely diced; 4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped; 1.5 litres hot chicken stock; 300g calasparra rice; Pinch of saffron threads; ½ teaspoon Spanish sweet paprika; ½ teaspoon thyme; ½ teaspoon black peppercorns; 4 garlic cloves; 1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped

Frank Camorra

October 28, 2014

Time:1-2 hoursServes:4 to 6

A fantastic version of Spanish comfort food, this chicken and rice recipe is very simple. When my mother used to make it she had the timing of cooking the rice down to a fine art. When she added the rice, there would be a call out the window, "dinner in 20 minutes!" and if we were late, don't ask ...

Ingredients

1.6 kg chicken, cut into 12 pieces
Fine sea salt and black pepper
80 ml olive oil
1 brown onion, finely diced
1 red capsicum, seeded and finely diced
1 green capsicum, seeded and finely diced
4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1.5 litres hot chicken stock
300g calasparra rice
Pinch of saffron threads
½ teaspoon Spanish sweet paprika
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
4 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped

Method

Thoroughly season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the chicken pieces, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 4 minutes each side or until browned. Remove the chicken from the pot and place on a plate or in a bowl. Add the onion and capsicum and sauté for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion has softened.
Add the tomato, stir through and cook for 15 minutes, or until pulpy, stirring occasionally. Return the chicken to the pot and pour in the hot stock. Increase the heat to high, bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes until the stock has reduced by about a third. Add the rice and stir through. Continue cooking for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, crush the saffron threads with the paprika, thyme, peppercorns and garlic using a mortar and pestle until the peppercorns are well crushed. Add a few tablespoons of hot stock from the pot and mix well. Add the spice mix to the rice and stir through.
Continue to cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is just tender and the chicken well cooked. Season to taste with salt. Remove from the heat, add parsley and serve immediately.
Tip
I have used Spanish calasparra rice but arborio will work as well.