Smoky Chorizo One-Pan Rice
Smoky chorizo, properly caramelised vegetables, tomato, paprika and cumin. Less stirring. Better rice. Chipotle goes in only after the child’s portion is served.
Portions
Quantities that fit your table.
Buy
Use the measured amount. The everyday equivalents are approximate, not whole packs to buy.
Protein
- 295 gchorizocured chorizo ringabout 1¼ ringsbased on a 225 g ring
Fruit + veg
- 235 gwhite onionabout 1½ large onions
- 470 gsweet red pepperabout 2½ large peppers
- 195 gyellow pepper
- 210 gcarrotabout 2½ medium carrots
- 155 gbaby cornabout 10 cobs
- 130 gfrozen sweetcorn
- 13 ggarlicabout 2½ cloves
Pantry
- 195 gbasmati rice
- 1,300 mlchicken stockprepared stock, including reserve
- 78 gdouble-concentrated tomato purée
Seasoning
- 11.5 gsmoked paprikaabout 5 tsp
- 5 gground cuminabout 2½ tsp
- to tastesea salt
- to tasteblack pepperpepper-heavy
Finish
- 10 gchipotle chilli pasteadult portions only; add to tasteabout 2 tsp
Prep
10 min preparation, included in the total.
- Chorizo
Slice into chunky bite-sized pieces.
- White onion
Peel, halve and slice.
- Red + yellow pepper
Deseed and cut into medium strips or chunks.
- Carrot
Peel and cut into small dice.
- Baby corn
Slice into thick diagonal pieces.
- Garlic
Peel and finely chop or crush.
- Basmati rice
Measure and keep dry. No rinsing required for this build.
- Chicken stock
Prepare the measured stock at the strength on the packet and keep it hot in a jug. It includes a reserve for topping up; you may not need it all.
- Tomato purée
Measure and keep ready for direct frying in the pan.
- Paprika + cumin
Measure together so they can be added quickly without burning.
- Sweetcorn + chipotle
Keep separate. Sweetcorn goes in near the end; chipotle goes in after the child’s portion is served.
Cook
Times are estimates for the default build. Follow the colour and texture cues; larger batches may take longer.
- 3 min hands-on
Render
6 minAdd the chorizo in a wide, deep frying pan and cook over medium heat until browned, with crisp edges and rendered oil. Turn as needed. Set all cooked chorizo aside for the finish, leaving the flavoured fat behind.
- 4 min hands-on
Colour
8 minAdd the white onion, sweet red pepper, yellow pepper, carrot and baby corn. Season with sea salt and black pepper, using much more pepper than salt. Keep the heat at medium-high and leave the vegetables untouched between stirs so they soften while developing browned edges rather than steaming.
- 3 min hands-on
Build
3 minPush the coloured vegetables aside and fry the double-concentrated tomato purée against the pan until it darkens from bright red to brick red. Lower the heat, add the garlic, then the smoked paprika and ground cumin. Stir briefly until fragrant, then move straight to the rice so the garlic and spices do not burn.
- 2 min hands-on
Toast
2 minAdd the measured basmati rice and stir until every grain is glossy and evenly coated in tomato, spices and chorizo oil. Keep it moving until the rice loses its chalky appearance, but do not let the spices catch.
- 1 min hands-on
Simmer
12 minStart with 390 ml hot chicken stock, keeping the rest in the jug. Scrape up the browned fond, bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and cover. Check once: if the pan is dry while the rice is still firm, add a small splash of reserved hot stock. Add only what the rice needs; the reserve is not a target to pour in.
- 3 min hands-on
Finish
4 minFold in the frozen sweetcorn near the end. Bring back to a gentle simmer. When the rice is almost tender and there is no pool of liquid, reintroduce the reserved cooked chorizo so it warms through. The grains should have no chalky centre but still a little bite: they will finish during the covered rest.
- 1 min hands-on · includes resting
Rest + split
5 minTurn off the heat, cover and rest so the remaining steam finishes the grains and the moisture redistributes. Serve the child’s portion first, then stir the chipotle chilli paste through the adult portion. Loosen with a tiny splash of reserved hot stock only if needed.
Kitchen notes
For a larger build, use extra pans or cook in batches so the vegetables can brown. Keep the rice in a shallow layer. Times are per batch; quantities scale, cooking speed does not.
Stock is a reserve, not a target
The jug includes extra stock for topping up. Start with the amount in the Simmer step and add small splashes only if the pan dries before the rice is nearly tender.
Keep the crisp edges
The chorizo comes out after browning and returns at the finish. Lower the heat before adding garlic and spices; they need only a brief fry.
Tomorrow’s lunch
Cool rice quickly, within one hour, and refrigerate. Eat within 24 hours. Reheat only once, stirring until steaming hot all the way through. Add a splash of water if dry. Freezing this recipe has not been tested.
Food Standards Agency: rice storage and reheating ↗