Chilli Chicken and Chorizo Rice

This all-in-one dish is made using just a few simple ingredients. As it slowly cooks, the rice soaks up the flavour of the chorizo and the heat of the chilli mellows to make a wonderfully aromatic meal.

Serves 1

2 shallots, thinly sliced, or 30 ml/2 tbsp frozen diced onion
1 garlic clove, crushed, or 5 ml/1 tsp garlic purée (paste)
2.5 ml/½ tsp chilli paste or a pinch of crushed dried chilli flakes
1.5 ml/¼ tsp dried mixed herbs
250 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup very hot (not boiling) chicken or vegetable stock
150 g/5 oz chicken breast, mini chicken fillets or ready-diced chicken
50 g/2 oz chorizo sausage or pepperami sausage
75 g/3 oz/1/3 cup easy-cook (converted) basmati rice
50 g/2 oz frozen mixed vegetables or peas
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Put the shallots or onion, garlic, chilli and herbs in the ceramic cooking pot.
2. Pour the stock over, cover with the lid and switch on the slow cooker to High. Cook for a few minutes while measuring and preparing the rest of the ingredients.
3. If the chicken isn't already diced, cut it into 2 cm/¾ in chunks and the chorizo into 1 cm/½ in pieces. Sprinkle the rice over the stock, then add the chicken, chorizo and mixed vegetables or peas. Season with salt and pepper, then give the mixture a stir.
4. Cover with the lid and cook for 1-1¼ hours or until the chicken and vegetables are cooked and the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the stock. Spoon on to a warm plate and serve at once.

Cook's tips
If you prefer, leftover or ready-cooked chicken - or chopped cooked ham or prawns (shrimp) - can be used in this dish. Stir it into the rice mixture about 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time.
Frozen mixed vegetables typically consist of diced carrots, sweetcorn and peas, but there are slightly more exotic versions available that also contain sliced red (bell) peppers, green beans and broccoli. Choose whichever you prefer.

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