Chicken, Chorizo and Tomato Paella

In our house every Tuesday Night is Paella Night. If Hubby was asked to list has favourite meals, this one would be in the top 5, and he's not easy to please when it comes to food! He plays 5-a-side every Tuesday night with the boys from work so Tuesday night is the one night of the week I get control of the TV remote and can catch up on all my Sky+ viewing from the week before. Because this recipe is so full proof (Donna Hay is to me what Nigella and Delia are to everyone else) I can throw it together and let it bubble away while I relax.

This recipe is as familiar to me as the back of my hand these days and I've found you can pretty much get away with adding or omitting whatever you like, pasta in place of the rice works really well and if you've forgotten to defrost the chicken (ahem) its just as nice with the chorizo only. I haven't been able to track down fresh oregano anywhere here so I use the dried variety. The chorizo needs to be good quality as the flavour really makes an impact when its soaked up by the rice as it cooks, when we can we get the real macoy from a great little deli in Leith.

Chicken, Chorizo and Tomato Paella

1 tbsp olive oil (I use fry lite)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp paprika (probably closer to 1 and a bit tsp goes into mine but I use the sweet variety, if the chorizo is the real deal the hot paprika can kill the dish)
200g chorizo, sliced
400g chicken breasts, cut into large chunks
1 1/2 cups medium grain rice
400g can diced tomatoes
500ml chicken stock
A good sprinkling dried oregano (or 1/2 cup fresh leaves)
2 cups baby spinach leaves

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the onion, garlic, paprika, chorizo and chicken and cook for 5-10 mins, until golden. Add the rice and tomatoes and stir to combine. Add the stock, reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight fitting lid and cook for 15 mins, or until rice is cooked. Stir through the oregano and spinach.

Serves 4 - if you are lucky!
Taken from Donna Hay's Simple Essentials: Chicken