I wouldn’t call myself a chef or a master of the kitchen, but chicken Basque is my go-to dish and I have to credit my good friend Suzanne for this one. I was invited over one evening for dinner a few years back and loved it so much I wanted the recipe, because it tasted so great and it was a one-pot wonder.
A plus for me is that this dish includes chorizo, so it reminds me of Spain where I was recently on holiday and I also worked there over the summer. This dish brings back all kinds of memories, both of great sunny locations and great tasting food.
This recipe serves four, but people generally want seconds so in my experience it more likely serves three. It’s also a handy dish to prepare ahead and have ready to go for when friends or family come over, or when I’m busy on stage, especially for the upcoming Christmas panto run.
Ideally, you’d use a casserole dish for this with a lid that can go in the oven. You can add peas or red peppers too, if you want.
Paul Byrom is an Irish tenor playing the Wicked Warlock in Red Riding Hood at The Helix in December.
Paul Byrom’s chicken Basque
Serves 3-4
Ingredients
4 chicken breasts, cut into chunky pieces
1 large onion, sliced
Olive oil
150g chorizo (although I always use a bit more), cut into 1cm pieces
50g sundried tomatoes, cut in half
2 large cloves of garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon paprika
1 tbsp tomato puree
225g basmati rice
275ml chicken stock
170ml dry white wine
Salt and pepper
Fresh herbs – thyme or rosemary work really well – finely chopped, about 1 tsp
Method
1 Preheat the oven to about 150 degrees.
2 Heat a large casserole and add some olive oil.
3 Season the chicken pieces, and add to the casserole and brown them. Remove and set aside.
4 Add a bit more oil and the onions to the pan and cook for five to 10 minutes, until they are soft. Add the garlic, chorizo and sundried tomatoes and stir around a bit for a couple of minutes (the chorizo should be starting to take on some colour).
5 Add the rice, and stir well. Add the tomato puree, paprika, wine and stock, season lightly and stir.
6 Bring to the boil and add the chicken to the top of the dish; the chicken must
stay on top of the rice as the rice needs to cook fully.
7 Sprinkle the herbs on top and season lightly again.
8 Cover with a lid, and pop it into the preheated oven and for about 30 minutes. When the dish is cooked, the rice will have absorbed all of the liquid and be fully cooked. Give it a good stir and eat immediately.
