Paella normally contains seafood but Fiona and Ellie’s version is made with tender pieces of chicken and vegetables and is really tasty. This is a similar concept to risotto in that the whole meal is cooked in one pan but it’s a bit easier as paella rice doesn’t need constant stirring. This is a great all-in-one supper dish for any time of the year.
Serves 4
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 boneless, skinless
- chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons chopped cooking chorizo (optional)
- 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
- ½ onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed 200g paella rice
- A few strands of saffron or 1 teaspoon turmeric (see note below)
- 850ml fresh Chicken Stock or ½ low-salt chicken stock cube dissolved in 850ml boiling water
- 1 small courgette, cut into quarters and then into small slices
- Handful fine green beans, chopped
- 3 broccoli florets, broken into small pieces
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the chicken pieces and chorizo if using, for about 5 minutes, allowing them to take on a little colour.
- Add the pepper and onion and allow to soften for a minute or two.
- Add the garlic, rice and saffron (or turmeric) and stir for a couple of minutes. Keep stirring to make sure the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of your pan and all the ingredients combine well.
- Pour over the stock, bring to the boil and then turn down and gently simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the courgette, beans and broccoli and then gently simmer for a further 10 minutes.
- Stir once just to check that the rice has not stuck to the bottom of the pan.
If you aren’t allergic, stir in a handful of cooked prawns at the end of cooking.
The saffron gives the lovely yellow colour to the rice but it is very expensive so turmeric makes a great everyday alternative.
From The Allergy-Free Family Cookbook: 100 delicious recipes free from dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soya, gluten, sesame and shellfish by Fiona Heggie and Ellie Lux.
Follow this link to buy it.
**Always check the ingredients of any food you’re cooking with to make sure it doesn’t contain something you or your child should avoid.
