No tags yet.
Chicken and Chorizo - what’s not to love. When I first went to university I liked to think I could cook. I was probably just mildly less incompetent than your average 18 year old. Frankly, I was probably pretty self righteous about it (I now channel my energy into boundless enthusiasm rather than youthful pride and snobbery). Anyway, I’m pretty sure much of the food I cooked back then would offend me now, but this dish has stood the test of time. It was a favourite back then and still is now some 8 years on… Why is this still a favourite of mine? Simple. It’s ruddy delicious. Moreover, this dish can be quick to prep and be bung in the oven whilst you do virtually none of the work. The ingredients are minimal and it’s a simple dish to make little alterations to. A few notes about the ingredients… You could use chicken breasts but you would have to take care for them not to dry out. Thighs are far more flavoursome and can take the heat of the rustic cooking style. Essentially, thighs will mean less work for you and juicier results. Win-Win. The type of chorizo depends on you. I tend to use the cooked (cured) kind and a fairly mild variety in terms of heat. This is your choice; I prefer to add chilli oil, chilli flakes or smoked paprika to add my heat. I find this helps to keep the sweet salty hum of the chorizo at the forefront of your taste buds rather than letting the heat dominate. Finally, make sure you season each piece of chicken as you add it; a pinch of salt over each chicken piece will suffice.
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 40 mins
Ingredients:
6 chicken thighs/drumsticks (bone in with skin)
200 grams chorizo sausage
1 or 2 Cyprus potatoes (sliced thinly) - other waxy potatoes will work too.
4 red onions (peeled and chopped into quarters.)
4 Garlic cloves
1 orange (zest and juice)
Olive oil
2 teaspoons of dried oregano
2 teaspoons of paprika
Asparagus, peas, greens (optional extra)
Method: 1). Preheat the oven to 220°C 2). Slice your potatoes into thin slices (3mm thick), peel the onions and slice into quarters. Add in a few cloves of garlic; leave the papery skin on - it allows the garlic to roast beautifully into sweet deliciousness. Slice the chorizo into chunks (vary the shape and size - this is a rustic dish). Cut any excess fat off the chicken and place these ingredients into a large food bag. 3). If you haven’t added seasoning as you were going along then add a few teaspoons of salt now. 4). Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil into the bag. Zest the orange then squeeze the juice into the bag. Add the paprika and your herb of choice (oregano or rosemary, I suggest). 5). Seal the bag (I didn’t do this well - see pictures). Then shake the bag to combine all the ingredients. 6). Decant the mixture into a big ceramic dish. You can simply pour it all in and enjoy the rustic madness. You can also decant it systematically - the messy (and thus my) version: Potato at the bottom, then onions and place the chorizo and chicken on the top (skin up). This lets the meat get crunchy whilst the potatoes absorb the juices. 7). Cover with foil and cook for 50-60 minutes. After 30 minutes, take off the foil and baste the contents with the juices. 8). Serve with asparagus, peas or greens.