Chicken Jambalaya with Chorizo and Prawns

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Chicken and Rice in its most delectable form. Marinated chicken and prawns with chorizo, peppers/capsicum, garlic, peas and sweetcorn, all cooked in one pot with rice, chicken stock and a wonderful collection of Cajun herbs and spices – cayenne, smoked paprika, turmeric, thyme and oregano. With Caribbean, French, Spanish, German and African influences, this classic one-pot dish, which originated in South Louisiana in the eighteenth century, is a fantastic flavour bomb with oodles of nutrients.

Delicious served simply straight from the pot, it also works well with a fresh green or mixed salad, some fresh bread and a range of salsas. My personal favourite is a Pineapple and Avocado Salsa with Fresh Mint and Coriander.

How to make Chicken Jambalaya with Chorizo and Prawns

Please do not be put off by the long list of ingredients, many will be already in your store cupboard and need little or no preparation. The instructions below also appear long, but they are quite detailed. Remember, this is a complete dish in its own right; it can be served as is, or with your choice of serving options.

Collect all your ingredients together:

The marinade, meat and prawns:

• olive oil
• garlic powder
• sweet paprika
• smoked paprika
• turmeric
• cayenne powder
• onion powder
• dried oregano
• dried thyme
• lime juice
• maple syrup or honey
• fine salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• skinless chicken breast or thigh meat, chopped
• king prawns, peeled and deveined
• chorizo, skinned and sliced

Remaining ingredients:

• red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• celery, trimmed and roughly chopped
• red pepper, deseeded, stem removed and roughly chopped
• green or yellow pepper, deseeded, stem removed and roughly chopped
• olive oil
• white long grain rice
• chicken or vegetable stock, or use water
• tomato puree
• fine salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• frozen sweetcorn
• frozen peas or petit pois

Serving suggestions:

• chopped spring onion, parsley or coriander
• fresh green or mixed salad
• fresh or garlic bread
• steamed green vegetables
• Pineapple and Avocado Salsa with Fresh Mint and Coriander – see Recipe Notes

How to make this amazing Chicken and Rice dish:

1. Marinade the chicken and prawns: put the olive oil, spices, lime juice, maple or honey, and salt and pepper into a bowl and mix well.
2. Add the chopped chicken and prepared prawns to the bowl and combine, ensuring that everything is coated in a thin layer of marinade. Cover and set aside whilst you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
3. Finish the Jambalaya: peel the chorizo, if necessary, and cut into thick slices. Heat a cast iron pan over a moderately hot temperature (you do not need to add any oil) and cook the chorizo on both sides, until lightly browned, caramelised, and the fat has rendered out of the sausage. Take the chorizo out of the pan and set aside.
4. Next add the marinated chicken to the pan and brown lightly on both sides. You might need to do this in batches. There should be sufficient fat from the chorizo and in the marinade, but if not, add extra oil. Remove from the pan as they cook – you are only sealing them, the chicken will finish cooking in the oven with the rice.
5. Now, increase the heat and add the marinated king prawns. Brown very quickly on both sides. Remove from the pan and place in a separate bowl from the chicken and chorizo. NB – do not throw away any remaining marinade. Clean the pan to remove any burnt marinade. 
6. As you cook the meat and prawns, prepare the vegetables – either blitz in the food processor until finely chopped or chop by hand.
7. When you have cooked the prawns and set aside, add the finely chopped vegetables to the pan. When you blitz the vegetables, this creates a lot of liquid; bring the vegetables to a simmer to reduce the liquid. As soon as it has evaporated, add some olive oil to the pan and sauté the vegetables for 5 minutes until very soft and lightly caramelised. Stir from time to time.
8. Now add the rice. Stir well to ensure it is thoroughly mixed with the vegetables and oil.
9. Add the stock, tomato puree, any remaining marinade from the prawns and chicken, the salt and pepper and stir well.
10. Return the chicken and chorizo, and any juices, to the pan and add the frozen corn and peas. (NB – I add the peas at this point, out of convenience. However, adding them now means they will lose some of their colour. To keep them vibrant green, add them when you return the prawns to the pan.) Bring to a simmer.
11. Cover with a lid or double thickness foil and pop in a preheated oven for 30 minutes.
12. Take out of the oven, check the rice and chicken to see if they are cooked. If not, continue to cook in the oven, with the lid on, for a further 5 minutes or until cooked. 
13. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary, and stir well. (Add the peas now, if you didn’t add them earlier.) Place the prawns on top of the rice and pop back in the oven, uncovered, for a further 3 – 5 minutes, or until the prawns are hot and cooked through.
14. To serve: sprinkle with spring onions, parsley and/or coriander and serve with your choice of sides.

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