Chicken and Rice in its most delectable form. Marinated chicken and prawns with chorizo, peppers/capsicum, garlic, peas and sweetcorn, all cooked in one pot with rice, chicken stock and a wonderful collection of Cajun herbs and spices - cayenne, smoked paprika, turmeric, thyme and oregano. With Caribbean, French, Spanish and African influences, this classic one-pot dish, is a fantastic flavour bomb with oodles of nutrients.
Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.
Preheat oven to fan 180°C/200°C/400°F/Gas 6.
Marinade the chicken and prawns: put the olive oil, spices, lime juice, maple or honey, and salt and pepper into a bowl and mix well.
Add the chopped chicken and prepared prawns to the bowl and combine, ensuring that everything is coated in a thin layer of marinade. Cover and set aside whilst you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Finish the Jambalaya: peel the chorizo, if necessary, and cut into thick slices. Heat a cast iron pan over a moderately hot temperature (you do not need to add any oil) and cook the chorizo on both sides, until lightly browned, caramelised, and the fat has rendered out of the sausage. Take the chorizo out of the pan and set aside.
Next add the marinated chicken to the pan and brown lightly on both sides. There should be sufficient fat from the chorizo and in the marinade, but if not, add extra oil. Remove the chicken from the pan and add to the chorizo.
Now, increase the heat and add the marinated king prawns. Brown quickly on both sides. Remove from the pan and place in a separate bowl from the chicken and chorizo. NB – do not throw away any remaining marinade.
As you cook the meat and prawns, prepare the vegetables and blitz in the food processor until finely chopped.
When you have cooked the prawns and set aside, add the finely chopped vegetables to the pan. When you blitz the vegetables, this creates a lot of liquid; bring the vegetables to a simmer to reduce the liquid. As soon as it has evaporated, add some olive oil to the pan and sauté the vegetables for 5 minutes until very soft and lightly caramelised. Stir from time to time.
Now add the rice. Stir well to ensure it is thoroughly mixed with the vegetables and oil.
Add the stock, tomato puree, any remaining marinade from the prawns and chicken, the salt and pepper, and stir well.
Return the chicken and chorizo, and any juices, to the pan and add the frozen corn and peas. (NB – I add the peas at this point, out of convenience. However, adding them now means they will lose some of their colour. To keep them vibrant green, add them when you return the prawns to the pan.) Bring to a simmer.
Cover with a lid or double thickness foil and pop in a preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Check the rice to see if it is cooked, adjust the seasoning, if necessary, and stir well. (Add the peas now, if you didn’t add them earlier.) Place the prawns on top of the rice and cook in the oven for a further 3 minutes.
To serve: sprinkle with spring onions, parsley and/or coriander and serve with your choice of sides.
Equipment:
Do not be put off by the long list of ingredients!
Please do not be put off by the long list of ingredients, many will be already in your store cupboard and need little or no preparation. The instructions also appear long, but they are quite detailed. Remember, this is a complete dish in its own right and it is ideal for preparing ahead of time. Prepare to the end of point 12 but do not bring to a simmer. Do this just before you place it in the oven.
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