CHICKEN PAELLA
This is a super quick mid-week meal. Using the orzo instead of rice makes it faster than a traditional paella but you still get the delicious flavour.
Ingredients
1 medium red onion, peeled and diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 chorizo, sliced (mild or spicy depending on your preference)
4 free-range chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces (or 400g cooked chicken, see note at the bottom)
1 cup frozen Shore Marina prawns
1 tsp La Chinata paprika (choose either sweet or spicy if you prefer it hot)
4-6 saffron threads
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 ½ cups La Molisana orzo pasta
500mls Farro chicken stock
1 cup water
1 can cherry tomatoes
To serve:
Grated Parmigiano
Chopped parsley
Optional:
You can add mussels, clams or other seafood if you like or omit the seafood altogether!
Method
Heat non-stick fry pan or paella pan
Add olive oil and onions. Sauté onions for 2 to 3 mins. Add the chorizo, stir for another minute or two and let the flavours from the chorizo infuse with the onion
Add chicken thighs and then the paprika, stir a further 2 mins. Add the saffron threads and stir through. Add the orzo and stir to coat with the other ingredients in the pan
Add the chicken stock, water, tomatoes and garlic. Stir it all together and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer until the pasta is al dente, about 6-8 mins. Stir occasionally
Add the prawns and push them down to simmer and cook in the juices
Cook for 2 mins until the prawns are cooked (turned pink)
Remove the pan from the heat and top with chopped parsley and grated Parmigiano
Love your leftovers: If you’re using cooked leftover chicken, add it at the same time as the prawns to heat it through.