Saffron Chicken

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 lbs skinless chicken, cut up
• salt and pepper
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 8 tomatoes, skinned and chopped
• 1 1/4 cups long-grain rice
• 3 1/2 cups good quality chicken stock
• 1/4 teaspoon powdered saffron (or large pinch of saffron strands)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Recipe

• 1 if you are starting with a whole chicken, cut it up before you start the recipe.
• 2 cut the chicken in half lenghtways down the breastbone and through the backbone.
• 3 cut the halves in half again, slitting between the leg joint diagonally up and around the breast joint.
• 4 cut away the drumsticks from the leg thigh joint and the wings from the breast joint to make 8 pieces.
• 5 remove the skin by pulling and cutting with a sharp knife.
• 6 heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish and fry the chicken pieces for about 5 minutes until browned.
• 7 season, remove from the dish and set aside.
• 8 add the onion and garlic to the dish and fry gently for 5 minutes until soft but not browned.
• 9 stir in the paprika and fry for 30 seconds.
• 10 add the tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
• 11 stir in the rice, chicken stock, saffron and chicken.
• 12 bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently for about 15 minutes.
• 13 add the peas and parsley and simmer for a further 5 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.