Chicken Basque

50 minutes - 1 hour

Serves 4

This recipe is from The Delia Collection: Chicken.

The delicious combination of chicken and rice, olives and peppers is typical of all the regions around the western Mediterranean but, to my mind, this Spanish version, with the addition of spicy chorizo sausage and a hint of paprika, beats the lot.

My interpretation of it also uses dried tomatoes preserved in oil to give it even more character. This recipe will provide a complete supper for four from the same pot – it needs nothing to accompany it!

The Delia Online Cookery School: Watch how to prepare peppers and chillies in our video, press the recipe image to play.

Got a question on Delia's recipes? Ask Lindsey

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Basque with skinless boned chicken

Asked by: lynne24

Hi Lindsey, I love Chicken Basque but I would like to use chicken without bones or skin. Could I use skinless chicken breasts instead and would it need less cooking time or perhaps skinless and boneless chicken thighs? Many thanks

Answered by Lindsey: Hello, Yes you can use chicken breast or boned chicken thighs. I would seal the skinned chicken over a medium heat so that doesn’t dry out too much. If you use boned thighs, as they are generally small you might like to add then to the pot after the rest has been cooking for 10 minutes or so. Other than that, I would follow the recipe as is. Kind regards Lindsey

Chicken Basque and Rhubarb Meringue Pie

Asked by: CellaBee

Hi I am making the Chicken Basque and Pile It High Rhubarb and Orange Meringue Pie at the weekend. Can the chicken be prepared ahead of time and will the meringue pie need to be refrigerated? Thank you

Answered by Lindsey: Hello, When I want to get ahead with the Chicken Basque, I make it up to the point – just before you add the stock, then refrigerate it all once it is all cold. Then later on that day or the next, I put it back on the top heat add the stock, wine and seasoning, bring it up to simmering point, add the chicken, orange wedges and olives and carry on from there as per the recipe. For the meringue pie, this is best eaten on the day after it has had a couple of hours to cool. If kept longer I would chill it but the filling is likely to go a little wet and the topping will soften. Best wishes Lindsey

Making chicken Basque with white rice...

Asked by: Jane Martin

Hi Lindsay, Some recipes specify brown rice (e.g. Chicken Basque) which I'm not too keen on. Would I have to adjust the cooking time if I use white rice instead? I think it cooks more quickly. Thanks. Best wishes, Jane

Answered by Lindsey: Hello Jane, Yes, your right. If you want to use white rice, it will need to be added later, as it needs much less cooking time. For the Basque I would take it off the heat 25 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Lift out the chicken, add the rice, return the chicken to the pan, cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes and then check the rice. Best wishes Lindsey

Method

Start by seasoning the chicken joints well with salt and pepper.

Next, slice the red peppers in half and remove the seeds and pith, then slice each half into six strips. Likewise, peel the onion and slice into strips of approximately the same size. The dried tomatoes should be drained, wiped dry with kitchen paper and then cut into ½ inch (1 cm) pieces.

Now heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in the casserole and, when it is fairly hot, add the chicken pieces – two or three at a time – and brown them to a nutty golden colour on both sides. As they brown remove them to a plate lined with kitchen paper, using a draining spoon. Next add a little more oil to the casserole, with the heat slightly higher than medium. As soon as the oil is hot, add the onion and peppers and allow them to brown a little at the edges, moving them around from time to time, for about 5 minutes.

After that, add the chorizo, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic and toss these around for a minute or two until the garlic is pale golden and the chorizo has taken on some colour. Next, stir in the rice and, when the grains have a good coating of oil, add the sun-dried tomato paste, paprika and chopped thyme. Pour in the stock and wine, and add some seasoning. As soon as everything has reached simmering point, turn the heat down to a gentle simmer. Add a little more seasoning, then place the chicken gently on top of everything (it's important to keep the rice down in the liquid).

Finally, place the wedges of orange in among the chicken and scatter with the olives.

Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook over the gentlest possible heat for about 50 minutes-1 hour or until the rice is cooked but still retains a little bite. You can also watch how to make Perfect Rice in our Cookery School Video for Long-grain Rice on this page.

Alternatively cook in a pre-heated oven at gas mark 4, 350°F (180°C), for 1 hour.

Ingredients

1 x 3½ lb (1.75 kg) chicken, jointed into 8 pieces

brown basmati rice measured to the 8 fl oz (225 ml) level in a glass measuring jug

10 fl oz (275 ml) chicken stock (or stock made from Marigold vegetable bouillon powder)

6 fl oz (170 ml) dry white wine

½ large orange, cut into wedges

1 level teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

2 oz (50 g) black olives (pitted if you prefer)

salt and freshly milled black pepper

2 large red peppers

1 very large or 2 medium onions

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

5 oz (150 g) chorizo sausage, skinned and cut into ½ inch (1 cm) slices

2 oz (50 g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil

2 large cloves garlic, chopped

1 level tablespoon sun-dried tomato paste

½ level teaspoon hot paprika

Equipment

You will also need a wide, shallow, flameproof casserole with a domed lid, measuring about 9½ inches (24 cm) at the base; or, failing that, any wide flameproof casserole of 8½ pint (4.5 litre) capacity.