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A skillet sitting on a cutting board is filled with spiced rice and chicken thighs, along with roasted peppers, olives and chorizo sausage.

Skillet Basque Chicken and Rice

The rich flavours of the Mediterranean, as well the Basque region of France and Spain, this easy chicken and rice meal comes together with minimal work, and has the best cozy vibes. Diced chorizo sausage, roasted red peppers, and olives make this a meal you will turn to often.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Basque, French, Spanish
Keyword chicken thighs, chorizo, red peppers, rice
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 2 red bell peppers, small to medium

Basque Chicken and Rice

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, or more if they are on the small side
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 4 oz cured Spanish chorizo sausage, diced into quarter moons
  • 1 medium yellow onion sliced thinly
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp Espelette chili pepper, see Notes
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1 14 oz can or jar of crushed tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/3 cup green olives, or more if everyone loves olives!

Instructions

Red Peppers, can be prepared in advance

  1. Cut the red peppers in half, and remove the core and seeds. Place the halves, cut side down onto a baking sheet.
  2. Place under the broiler until the skin starts to blister and char. They should be blackened all over. This should take between 12-15 minutes
  3. Remove the peppers to a heat safe bowl and cover with a pot lid to trap in the steam.
  4. Once cool enough to handle, peel away the blacked skins.
  5. Slice into thin strips and store in a sealed container till needed. This can even be done the day before to manage time.

Basque Chicken and Rice

  1. Pat dry the chicken thighs and place them, skin side up on a large plate. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  2. Place a large skillet or braiser with a lid onto a stove top burner, and heat over medium high heat. Add the oil and let it warm through.
  3. Add the chicken pieces, skin side down into the skillet, but not over-crowding (work in batches if needed) Sear until golden brown (about 4-5 minutes) While they are searing, sprinkle more salt and pepper over the exposed sides. Turn and sear the other side.
  4. *If needed, reduce the temperature to avid scorching. Remove the seared chicken thighs to a place.
  5. Remove any excess fat from the skillet, leaving one tablespoon for the next step. If not enough fat is there you can supplement with olive oil. Reduce the heat to medium if you haven't already done so.
  6. Add in the diced chorizo and sauté for one minute, till getting crispy.
  7. Add in the onions and garlic and cook for another two minutes or so, till starting to soften.
  8. Add in the red pepper strips, as well as the espelette pepper and cumin. Stir to coat well.
  9. Pour in the white wine and let it cook till almost all absorbed and reduced, about one to two minutes.
  10. Add the tomatoes, along with 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Stir to combine, and cook till the raw nature of the tomatoes is cooked out, about two minutes
  11. Add in the rice, stir to combine well, and let the rice take on the flavours of the spiced tomatoes etc, one minute.
  12. Nestle in the chicken thighs, and pour the chicken stock evenly over everything. Bring it to a rolling simmer and then reduce the heat to low. Place a lid on the skillet.
  13. Cook until the rice has absorbed all the liquid, and the chicken is cooked through, about 20-25 minutes depending on your stove. If the rice isn't quite tender yet, add no more than 1/4 cup of liquid and cook for another 5 minutes.
  14. Remove the skillet from the heat, and lift off the lid. Immediately place a tea towel over the open skillet, and replace the lid to hold it in place. The towel will absorb any excess steam. After 10 minutes it is ready to be fluffed and served.
  15. Sprinkle the olives evenly over the dish, and serve.

  16. See Blog post for more details and suggestions.

Recipe Notes

For every teaspoon of espelette powder, use 1/2 tsp of sweet paprika and smoked paprika. Add in a pinch of cayenne pepper (as you can handle)
Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container. Remove the chicken from the bones and nestle in the rice. Re-warm in a greased baking dish, covered with foil, in a 300F oven or 275F toaster oven. Or use a greased skillet over low heat, keeping it covered as well.