Spanish Chicken with Rice

I feel very sleepy today. I did an hour and half extra at work yesterday as a talk I was doing over ran and then at midnight the cat brought a mouse into the bedroom. I hate mice. They make me shudder so I just have to leave her to get on with it.

She looks very cute when she's hiding behind the throw on the sofa but not when there is a mouse on my bedroom floor! I hate that black leather sofa but it's too big to get out of my house and the thought of having to break it up to move it is just beyond me at the moment!

This is the recipe for the rice bit of the lunch I posted yesterday. I originally had it as a nice paellaesque dish all done in my slow cooker, which doesn't get used very often. But this worked fantastically so I might have to use it some more, browning the meat first of course! I love the summery flavours of this dish and sticky rice dishes, risotto, paella etc. always feel comforting and lovely and luxurious to eat.

Spanish Chicken with Rice (from WeightWatchers Magazine December 2012)
(Serves 4)
(11 WW ProPoints per serving)

200g paella rice
1 red onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 red and 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped
300ml chicken stock
pinch of saffron threads
110g chorizo, sliced into rounds
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
60g pitted black olives
2 tbsp parsley, chopped

Combine the rice, onion, garlic and pepper in the base of the slow cooker. Make up the chicken stock and add the saffron threads.

Put the chorizo slices in a frying pan and heat. Fry, turning once, until the chorizo has changed colour and released its oil. Remove the chorizo and transfer it to the slow cooker. Stir into the rice mixture, then pour over the saffron scented chicken stock.

Add the chicken breasts to the frying pan. Sear for about 8 mins, turning once, then place on top of the rice, cover and cook on high for about 1 1/2- 2 hours or on low for about 2 1/2 - 3 hours, stirring the rice gently half way through, until the rice and chicken are both tender and cooked through.

Lift the chicken breasts out and stir in the olives and most of the parsley. Serve the rice with a chicken breast on top, scattered with parsley.