Chicken and chorizo jambalaya
This is a brilliant one pot dinner it has everything you want in a meal, There's vegetables, chicken, sausage and rice it's really family friendly and you can adjust the vegetables as you like it or add more for example mushrooms, peppers, peas and sweetcorn and you could even leave out the chicken and sausage and use a meat substitute or beans to make it vegetarian.
To get the authentic flavour you really do need the 'holy trinity' of celery, onion and green pepper to start and don't worry if not keen on celery you won't really notice it. The Cajun spice mix is sold in all supermarkets or you can make your own there are loads of recipes online and it's worth having it in as it's delicious on many dishes especially potato wedges.
Chicken and chorizo jambalaya
1 onion (chopped)
1 green pepper (chopped)
2 sticks celery (chopped)
500g chicken thighs (skinless and boneless cut into bitesize pieces)
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 tin chopped tomatoes
100g chorizo (sliced)
1 litre chicken stock
12 oz easy cook white rice
1-2 tsp Cajun spice mix
1 tbsp vegetable or rapeseed oil
salt and pepper
Set a large saucepan or wok on the hob pour in the oil and place over a medium heat, Place the chicken in the pan then season with salt and pepper and fry for ten minutes until starting to brown remove from the pan and set to one side. Don't worry if it's not cooked through it will finish cooking in the dish. Add in the celery, onions and green pepper to the pan and fry slowly until the vegetables are soft if it gets too dry just add a splash of water.
Add the chorizo, garlic and the spice mix and keep frying until the chorizo softens. Next add the rice, tinned tomatoes and chicken stock finally add the cooked chicken back in. Stir very well and bring to a simmer. Cover the pan and simmer for fifteen minutes.
Remove from the heat and taste for seasoning then replace the lid and let it sit for ten minutes for the flavours to absorb.
This serves six easily and it also freezes well.
