Chicken Basquaise

A hearty French dish of roasted chicken with rice, sweet peppers, chorizo and olives — everything simmers together in one pot, infused with the aromas of wine, garlic and Provençal herbs. Perfect for a Sunday family lunch.

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg Chicken (cut into pieces)
• 25 g Butter
• 6 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 pcs Red onion
• 3 pcs Red bell pepper
• 130 g Chorizo
• 8 pcs Sun-dried tomatoes
• 6 clove Garlic
• 300 g Basmati rice
• to taste Tomato paste
• 0.5 tsp Paprika
• 4 pcs Bay leaf
• to taste Thyme
• 350 ml Chicken stock
• 180 ml Dry white wine
• 2 pcs Lemon
• 100 g Black olives
• to taste Salt
• to taste Black ground pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. In an ovenproof pot or deep skillet, melt the butter together with 3 tbsp of olive oil. Fry the chicken pieces in small batches on both sides until golden brown, seasoning with salt and pepper. Do not add all the pieces at once — they will stew rather than fry. Transfer the cooked pieces to paper towels.
2. Add a little more olive oil to the pot and sauté the onion over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until it becomes soft but not browned. Then add the remaining oil, add the bell pepper and cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Add the chorizo, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic, cook for 2–3 minutes. Stir in the rice and mix well until it is evenly coated with oil. Add the tomato paste, paprika, bay leaf and chopped thyme. Pour in the stock and wine. Once the liquid comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Press the rice with a spoon so it is completely submerged in the liquid, arrange the chicken pieces on top, and scatter the lemon wedges and olives around it.
4. Cover with a lid and place in the oven for 50 minutes. The rice should be cooked but still slightly al dente, and the juices that run from the chicken when pierced at the thickest point should be clear. If the chicken is not yet done, return the dish to the oven for another 5 minutes and check again.