Chicken Basquaise

Ingredients

• 3 1/4 lbchicken, jointed into pieces
• 2 tbspbutter
• 6 tbspolive oil, divided
• 2red onions, sliced
• 3red peppers, large, sliced
• 4 1/2 ozchorizo, sliced
• 8sun-dried tomatoes
• 6 clovegarlic, sliced
• 1 1/2 cupsbasmati rice
• 2 tbsptomato paste, a drizzle
• 1/2 tsppaprika, smoked or sweet
• 4 leafbay leaves
• thyme, fresh, chopped
• 1 1/2 cupschicken stock
• 3/4 cupdry white wine, corrected to 180ml (wine is a liquid, 1:1 g-to-ml ratio)
• 2lemons, cut into wedges
• 3 1/2 ozblack olives, pitted
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste

Method

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 350°F (fan 325°F)/gas 4. Melt the butter with 3 tbsp of the olive oil in a flameproof casserole set over medium-high heat.

2. 2

   Season the chicken joints all over and brown them a few at a time, turning once, until the skin is deep gold. Give each piece room, because crowded chicken steams instead of coloring. Lift the browned pieces onto paper towels.

3. 3

   Add a splash more oil to the casserole and cook the red onions over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often, until soft and translucent but not colored. Pour in the last of the oil, add the peppers, and give them 5 minutes more.

4. 4

   Stir in the chorizo, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic and cook for 2–3 minutes, until the chorizo starts releasing its red oil. Add the rice and turn it through until every grain is slick, then stir in the tomato paste, paprika, bay leaves and thyme.

5. 5

   Pour in the stock and wine and bring it up to a bubble, then lower it to a bare simmer. Push the rice down so it sits under the liquid, lay the chicken back on top, and tuck the lemon wedges and olives in around it.

6. 6

   Cover and slide the casserole into the oven for 50 minutes. The rice should be tender with a little bite left, and the juices should run clear when you pierce the thickest part of a thigh. If it is not there yet, give it another 5 minutes and check again.