Put 45ml of olive oil into a large shallow casserole dish or sauté pan on a medium heat, then add the chicken, skin side down, season a little, and cook until the skin is crispy, around 2–3 minutes. Turn and cook for another minute, then remove the chicken from the pan to a large plate.
Add the aubergine to the pan, season a little, and cook until slightly coloured, soft and cooked through, around 6–7 minutes. Remove to the plate with the chicken.
Add a tablespoon more oil, then add the courgettes and season a little. When they start to caramelize (around 2 minutes), add the red pepper and cook for another couple of minutes. Next, add the red onion and cook until slightly coloured, around 3–4 minutes, stirring with a spoon. Remove all the vegetables to the plate with the aubergine and chicken.
Have your stock ready: you don’t want it boiling or it will reduce (if it does, just top it up with water), but it should be steaming.
Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and put in the garlic. Stir, and when it starts to turn golden, put everything from the plate back into the pan. Add the bay leaf and tomato purée, stir together to mix, then leave for a minute.
Pour in the wine and cook to evaporate, then add the paprika and rice. Stir together, then cook for a couple of minutes, continuing to stir with a spoon to remove the starch from the rice.
Lower the heat to a gentle medium-low and add a quarter of the stock to the pan, stirring with a spoon. When the stock evaporates, add more. Make sure the heat is medium-low, otherwise the stock will evaporate too fast without cooking the rice. Continue doing this, stirring frequently, until you have used all the stock. Taste the rice: if you prefer it less al dente, just add a splash more water and cook it for a bit longer – doing this won’t dilute the flavour.
When you’re happy with the rice’s texture, season again if necessary, then serve, sprinkled with the chopped chives.
