Spanish Chicken with Saffron Rice and Olives
Used in this recipe
Recipe: Dédé Wilson for Fody
The chicken thighs are browned first, then finish cooking in the rice with the lid on. Saffron-infused white wine, paprika and tomatoes give the rice its colour and flavour, while green olives add a salty note.
The green part of the leek and spring onion greens stand in for onion, and everything is fried in Fody Shallot-Infused Olive Oil. Choose your stock carefully: ready-made products almost always contain onion or garlic, but Massel is made without either.
Method
- Stir the saffron into the white wine in a measuring jug and leave to infuse for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, put the chicken thighs in a bowl and rub them all over with the paprika, salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil over a medium heat in a flameproof casserole or a deep frying pan with a lid (about 30 cm). Fry the chicken skin side down for about 3 minutes until golden, in two batches if necessary, then turn and brown the other side. Lift out and set aside; it won’t be cooked through yet.
- Soften the leek, spring onion greens and pepper in the fat left in the pan for about 3 minutes, without letting them colour. Pour in the saffron wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in the stock, tomatoes and bay leaf and bring to the boil. Add the rice and bring everything back to the boil.
- Press the chicken thighs into the rice, skin side up, and scatter the olives around them. Cover and simmer gently over a low heat for about 30 minutes, until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid. Don’t let it dry out completely.
- Take the pan off the heat and leave to rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
Tips
- Our article on low FODMAP stock has more on stock without onion, including a recipe for making your own.
- To make it without wine, soak the saffron in an extra 120 ml of stock. A squeeze of lemon juice at the end makes up for the missing acidity.
- In an airtight container, it keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Add a little water when reheating so the rice doesn’t stick.
