Ingredients

Method

• 8-12 free-range skin-on chicken thighs
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 4 leeks, finely chopped
• 4 T garlic, crushed
• 1 T cumin seeds
• 2 T smoked paprika
• 1 T saffron, soaked in ½ cup hot water
• 600 g risotto rice
• 1 x 260 g can Woolworths whole chipotle chillies in adobo
• 2 x 70 g cans Woolworths soffritto tomato paste
• 2 x 410 g cans chopped tomatoes
• salt, to taste
• 2 litres chicken stock or water

Method

Ingredients

1. Place the chicken skin-side down on a braai grid. Cook over medium coals until charred, then turn over and cook the other side.

2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a very large frying pan or paella pan over the fire. Slowly cook the onions and leeks until soft and slightly golden. Add the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and saffron with its soaking water and stir.

3. Stir in the rice and make sure it’s well coated. Add the chipotle, tomato paste and tomatoes. Season with salt.

4. Add 2 cups stock or water and simmer, adding more as it is absorbed. When the rice is just al dente, add the chicken and a touch more stock or water, cover tightly with foil and leave for 10 minutes. Serve out of the pan.

Cook's note: If your rice sticks, that’s good. In Spain, the crust is called the socarrat and is the most prized part of the dish.

Find more chicken recipes here.

Photograph: Jan Ras
Production: Abigail Donnelly
Food Assistants: Bianca Strydom and Ellah Maepa