Chorizo Chicken with Olives and Roasted Peppers + Yellow Rice

Most people love simple recipes. I'm actually the opposite--I want the things I cook to be a little bit of a process. Nothing insane, but a few different components. I love the act of cooking, and I usually don't want it to be over too quickly.

This chorizo chicken is the best of both worlds. If you want it to be super simple and quick, you can buy a jar of roasted red peppers or even leave them out. You can also serve this with a tossed salad instead of the rice. If you're looking to have a little fun, though, you can roast your peppers on an open flame.

This genius recipe comes from Karen of Lavender and Lovage. I was assigned Karen's blog for this month's Secret Recipe Club reveal day, and had so much fun perusing her recipes. She lives in England but also spends a lot of time in France, where she has a cooking school. Karen has a huge selection of recipes on her blog, including several tempting choices like Scottish rhubarb and ginger crunchy streusel cake and bacon-wrapped turkey breast, which I want to make when the holidays roll around.

Karen's chorizo chicken looked too good to pass up, though. I love Spanish flavors, and am currently obsessed with Wellshire Farms smoked chorizo. For this recipe, you brown the chorizo first and then cook the chicken in the flavorful oil left over in the pan. That and a handful of olives are pretty much all you need for a comforting and delicious dinner. I couldn't resist adding some roasted red peppers and a little parsley for some extra color and flavor.

I also made some yellow rice to go with this. I love packaged yellow rice, but it often has MSG in it. Turns out the homemade version is super easy to make, and will make your house smell amazing. 

I hope you check out Karen's blog and give this recipe a try!

Chorizo Chicken with Olives and Roasted Peppers
Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients (adapted from Lavender and Lovage):

2 red bell peppers
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 links chorizo (about 3/4 pound), sliced into coins (I used Wellshire Farms smoked chorizo)
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into two thin cutlets each*
1/2 cup pitted green olives, sliced
Minced fresh parsley, for serving

To char the bell peppers on a gas stovetop, set the flame to high and use tongs to place a pepper on top. Use a separate burner for the second pepper. Let the peppers cook until the bottom is blackened all over, and then turn them a quarter turn to char the next side. Continue to char until all the sides are blackened. Transfer the peppers to a paper bag and roll the top to close it, or place them in a heatproof bowl and cover with plastic wrap or tinfoil. Let the peppers cool until you can handle them. Peel the peppers and remove the stems and seeds. (You can see a quick video of me doing this here.) If you don't have a gas stove, check out this post with several other ways to roast bell peppers.

Heat a very large skillet or tagine over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and then the chorizo. Cook for 2-3 minutes until browned on the bottom, then flip and cook until browned on the other side. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to transfer the sausage to a plate. Add half the chicken pieces (or as many as will fit in a single layer) and cook until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and repeat with the rest of the chicken.

Add all the chicken back to the pan along with the chorizo, green olives, and roasted red pepper. Stir to combine. Cover the pan and cook for 5-10 minutes, until everything is heated through. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.

Yellow Rice
Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients (adapted from Budget Bytes):

2 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon bittersweet smoked paprika
Pinch of allspice
2 cups jasmine rice
3 cups chicken stock or water


Melt the ghee or butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the salt, garlic powder, and spices and cook for about 2 minutes, until very fragrant. Raise the heat to medium high, add the rice, and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Pour in the stock or water, stir, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the mixture simmers and cook for about 15 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Let the rice sit with the lid still on for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve.

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