Basque Chicken

With some chicken in the fridge and perusing the net I got inspired by by the "Basque" country of France and Spain and decided to put together my own one-pot version of Basque Chicken.

The Basque Country is the name given to the home of the Basque people in the western Pyrenees that spans the border between France and Spain on the Atlantic coast. Consequently some versions of Basque chicken have a French influence, while others have the Spanish influence. I think mine has more of a Spanish bent due to my inclusion of chorizo and two types of paprika: smoked and hot.


Basque Chicken
Serves 2

1 tbsp olive oil
4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin removed
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
small tin chopped tomatoes
4 roasted red peppers in oil from a jar, roughly chopped
35g black olives, pitted and halved
1 small glass white wine
2 tsp tomato puree
½ teaspoon sugar
2 bay leaves
20g sun dried tomatoes
75g cooking chorizo
125g brown basmati
200mls chicken stock
¼ tsp hot paprika
¼ tsp smoked paprika½ tsp picked and chopped fresh thyme leaves
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Season the chicken thighs then brown them in the oil in a heavy based casserole dish.

Remove and set aside and then in the same dish add the onions and fry over a lowish heat. When they are softened and slightly charred at the edges, add the garlic and chorizo. Cook for a few more minutes until the chorizo starts to colour then add the peppers, sundried tomatoes and olives. Cook for a few minutes more before adding the rice, stirring to ensure all the grains are coated in oil.

Turn the heat up high and add the wine. As that starts to reduce stir in the tinned tomatoes, stock, paprikas and thyme. Season to taste and add the sugar then return the chicken to the pan.
Cover and cook in the oven for about an hour. Check after 30 minutes to ensure there is enough liquid to cook the rice adding more if necessary.

After a further 20-30 minutes, the lid of the casserole can be removed. Leave for 10 minutes to reduce the contents slightly.

Serve, perhaps with a bitter leaves green salad.