Chicken, chorizo and chickpea stew

It’s that time of year again. I’m back at uni and this year is going to be even busier than the last. This is why it has been such a long time since I have written anything. I have barely had time for anything else, including cooking.

Last week, though, I cooked a proper meal for the first time in a while. It was my friend Amy’s birthday so we had her over for dinner. I cooked one of my favourites: chicken, chorizo and chickpea stew.

This is a variation on one of the early recipes on my blog. At the time, I was being obsessive over doing everything from scratch and looking back over that recipe I think there are a lot of unnecessary steps – like cooking the beans from scratch with a number of flavourings and cooking the dish in the oven as well as on the stove in order to call it a casserole. Pretences.

These days I tend to make it more often than not with chickpeas, which I prefer, and I usually use a tin. I also do all the cooking on the stove, since I don’t think putting it in the oven adds anything other than faff.

I am repeating the recipe here, rather than updating the old one, because I have also added some different spices which give it a Moorish twist. Please read "or to taste" after all the herbs and spices. I encourage you to adjust

Serves 4 as a main, but you can spread to 5 or 6 by adding extra chicken. I sometimes do it with a shoulder of pork instead, which is great too, but a bit more effort.

Ingredients

1-2 tbsp olive oil
4 chicken legs or 4 thighs and 4 drumsticks, on the bone, skin on
200g cooking chorizo, sliced into rounds approx 1cm thick
1 x onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
200ml white or red wine
1L chicken or vegetable stock
2 x 400g tin tomato
1 roast red pepper, diced
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs thyme, finely chopped
1 tbsp noras or Marash red pepper flakes (not chilli flakes)
Pinch saffron
1 tsp sweet paprika
½ tsp hot smoked paprika
1 tsp ras el hanout
1 tbsp harissa (optional)
1 x 400g tin chickpeas (drained weight 240g)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Handful coriander (optional)

Method

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over a medium-high heat in a large heavy-based saucepan.  Add the chicken, lightly brown on each side, remove from the pan and put to one side. You may need to do this in 2 stages, in which case add more oil in between.

In the same saucepan, fry the chorizo for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove it before it starts to crisp and put it with the chicken.

Turn the heat down to low and add more oil if necessary. Add the onions and garlic and sweat for 5 minutes or until pale and translucent. Turn the heat up and pour in the wine. Let it bubble and reduce for 1 minute, then add 500 ml of the stock, tinned tomatoes, roast pepper, bay leaf, thyme and spices. Add the chicken and chorizo.

Cook over a low heat, uncovered, for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. The longer you cook it, the better. Add more stock as necessary.

5-10 minutes before serving, add the chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. If using coriander, reserve a few leaves for garnish, chop the rest and add it to the stew.

Serve with crusty bread and salad. 

Comments

[Ma]

Hi Vix,This has always been one of my favourite stand by recipes from your blog -I love the idea of the new twist and I can't wait to try it - I will report back.

[Charlie Brown]

Yummo! Very hearty - would be perfect right now...it is very wet and yukky here!
x

[Vix]

Hi Ma and Cha, thanks for your comments. Sorry it has taken so long to reply. All study study study atm. Xx