Hairy Bikers Spanish Chicken

This Hairy Bikers Spanish chicken is a one-tin chicken and chorizo tray bake with new potatoes, tomatoes, and smoked paprika. It comes from the Hairy Dieters cookbook at just 370 calories a portion, because all the fat comes from the chorizo and none is added.

This recipe comes from The Hairy Dieters, where Si and Dave call it a low-fat fiesta of a dish. The chorizo is the clever bit, since its fat and smoked paprika flavour the potatoes and chicken as they roast, so you never reach for oil.

Slash each chicken thigh two or three times before it goes in the tin. Those cuts let the paprika and chorizo juices sink into the meat, so the flavour reaches the middle and not just the top.

Hairy Bikers Spanish Chicken

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Baking Cuisine:British Spanish Courses:Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time:1 hour Rest time: minutesTotal time:1 hour 15 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories:370 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

New potatoes, onions, garlic, and tomatoes roasted first, then sliced chorizo and slashed chicken thighs added with smoked paprika and oregano. Green peppers go in near the end, and the whole tin finishes hot so the chicken turns golden and crisp.

Ingredients

For the bake

• 1 medium onion, cut into 8 wedges
• 1 medium red onion, cut into 8 wedges
• 500g new potatoes, quartered lengthways
• 8 whole garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 8 medium tomatoes, quartered
• 75g chorizo (preferably picante)
• 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 1 green pepper, deseeded and cut into strips
• Flaked sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Roast the vegetables: Preheat the oven to 200°C, Fan 180°C, Gas 6. Put both onions, the potatoes, garlic, and tomatoes in a large roasting tin, then season with sea salt and lots of black pepper. Toss lightly and roast for 20 minutes.
2. Prep the chorizo and chicken: While the veg roasts, skin the chorizo and cut it into thin slices about 5mm thick. Slash each chicken thigh two or three times, then season with black pepper. Mix the paprika and oregano together in a small bowl.
3. Add the meat: Take the tin out and scatter the chorizo over the veg, turning everything a couple of times. Sit the chicken on top, sprinkle with the paprika and oregano, season with salt, then roast for another 20 minutes.
4. Baste and add peppers: Take the tin out again. Tilt it carefully so the juices run to one end, then spoon them back over the chicken. Tuck the green pepper strips loosely around everything.
5. Finish hot: Turn the oven up to 220°C, Fan 200°C, Gas 7. Roast for a final 20 minutes until the peppers soften and the chicken is golden and crisp. As you eat, squeeze the soft garlic out of its skins.

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FAQs

Can I make this Spanish chicken in a slow cooker?

You can, but it turns into a different dish. This oven tray bake roasts everything dry so the chicken crisps and the potatoes catch colour, while a slow cooker keeps it moist and saucy.

For the slow cooker, brown the chicken and chorizo first, then swap the fresh tomatoes for a tin and add a splash of stock. Cook on low for 6 hours until the chicken falls apart. You lose the crisp edges, so it becomes more of a stew than a bake.

Is this Spanish chicken bake really low in calories?

Yes, and that is the whole point of it. There is no added oil or butter anywhere, so the 75g of chorizo does all the work as it melts.

At 370 calories a portion it sits easily in a diet plan, which is why it lives in the Hairy Dieters book. The tomatoes break down into a light sauce, so the dish tastes rich without any cream or stock.

What should I serve with this chicken and chorizo casserole?

This is a proper chicken and chorizo casserole in tray-bake form, so a few sides finish it off. Crusty bread to mop the paprika juices is the classic, and a sharp salad keeps things fresh.

A panzanella salad works well, since its roasted peppers and sherry vinegar match the Spanish flavours. For a bigger spread, a small dish of dauphinoise potatoes alongside makes it a feast, though it adds richness the bake avoids.

What chorizo should I use, and can I swap it?

Use cured Spanish chorizo, ideally picante for a little heat, since its smoked paprika is what makes the dish taste Spanish. The soft cooking chorizo works too, but the cured ring holds its shape when sliced.

If you have none, the cookbook says diced pancetta or chopped bacon will stand in, though you lose the red colour. A few blobs of nduja bring the heat back, and around 75g keeps it light.

Can I use chicken breasts or a whole chicken instead of thighs?

Yes, though thighs are best here because they stay juicy through the long roast. Breast meat works if you prefer it, but check it early so it does not dry out.

You can also joint a whole chicken and use the pieces, which feeds more people from one bird. For a Spanish dish that uses chorizo the same clever way, the chicken and chorizo paella flavours its rice with that same paprika oil.