Prawn and chicken sundried tomato jambalaya with saffron rice

Ingredients

Chicken oyster thighs (4 to 6 thighs chopped )

Atlantic prawns (500grams)

Lemon zest and juice of

3 garlic cloves

One onion chopped small

Half a chorizo sasuagw chopped small

Thyme

Smoked paprika

Cracked black pepper

Sundried tomato half a jar

Tin of chopped tomatoes

Chicken stock -2 litres

Basmati rice

One egg

Saffron strands

1 cup of basmati rice cooked with 1.5cups of chicken stock and 3 to 4 strands of saffron.

You could add butter beans here too if you liked or also serve with some passata added and it would be even more stew like .

Method

First up get your chicken poaching in the stock. To do this gently brown the chicken on a medium heat for several minutes until its white through then add your chicken stock to your pan and on a medium heat allow to simmer for at least thirty five minutes. You want this to be a deep enough pan but light based if possible or a casserole dish you can cook on the hob as you will transfer all to the pot before serving.

Now time to get your rice on so begin with adding the rice and cold chicken stock to your pot aswell as the saffron strands. Allow to simmer and come to the boil ,when all the water is removed and you start to see holes in the rice(approx 8 to 10 mins hob dependent )now, turn off the hob, place a lids over the pot and keep the lid on for the next ten minutes. After a minute or two lift the lid quickly and add in your cracked egg and place the lid back on tight

The steam here will cook the egg . Key thing here is to never mix the rice in the cooling process or remove the lid.

Now fry off your chopped chorizo,adding in the onion and garlic and sundried tomatos after a few minutes and when this is cooked add this into the chicken bubbling away.

Keep the oil in the pan from the chorizo and add your prawns and allow to cook away in the lemon zest ,juice and some garlic.

Whilst the prawns are cooking its time to go back to the chicken where you now add the tinned tomato, smoked paprika,thyme,black pepper and some lemon juice.

When the prawns are cooked add them to the chicken dish which should now be coming together and the sauce thickening up ,you might find you need to add more stock/hot water along the way until the chicken is fully cooked

Before serving and after 20 mins your rice should be cooked,rake a fork through the rice to break the egg through and fluff it up,it should have a lovely yellow tint from the saffron.

Now serve up and enjoy,this is a great recipe easily adapted to bulk up for another night’s dinner,add more stock,passata,beans like cannenili,butter beans to make stews or just serve with roast baby potatos and crusty white bread,its amazing mopping up the remaining sauce with some bread !!

Oyster thighs