Spanish chicken with chorizo, black olives and rice

Spanish Chicken with Chorizo, Olives and Peppers

Juicy roasted chicken in a rich sauce with chorizo, black olives, peppers and wine.

Chicken can be prepared in a thousand different ways, and this recipe shows how a few bold ingredients can turn simple chicken legs into a flavour-packed main course. This Spanish chicken with chorizo and olives combines golden roasted chicken, peppers, onion, olives and spicy sausage in a rich sauce made with wine and chicken stock.

The real highlight of this dish is the sauce. As the chorizo cooks, it releases its paprika-infused fat, while the wine lifts all the caramelised flavours from the bottom of the pan. Combined with chicken stock and the natural juices from the roasting chicken, it creates a deeply flavoured sauce without the need for a heavy tomato base.

And if you cannot find authentic Spanish chorizo, don’t worry. A good-quality smoked or paprika sausage works very well too. In Slovakia, even a traditional Slovak sausage can make an excellent substitute. The flavour will be slightly different, but certainly no less delicious.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Chicken legs remain juicy during roasting while adding plenty of flavour to the sauce. Chorizo brings smoky paprika notes, olives provide a pleasant salty contrast, and peppers and onions add natural sweetness.

Browning the chicken before roasting is an important step. The caramelised bits left in the pan are then released with wine, creating an additional layer of flavour.

The tomato paste plays only a supporting role. The goal is not to create a tomato sauce, but a concentrated pan sauce made from chicken juices, chorizo, wine and stock.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4

  • 4 whole chicken legs
  • 150–180 g chorizo
  • 1 large onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • ½ red bell pepper
  • ½ green bell pepper
  • 100–120 g pitted black olives
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika – pimentón dulce
  • 150 ml dry white wine or dry sherry
  • 300 ml good-quality chicken stock
  • 1–2 tbsp olive oil
  • salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • a few drops of lemon juice or sherry vinegar

To serve:

  • 250–300 g rice
  • fresh parsley

METHOD

1. Brown the chicken

Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F.

Pat the chicken legs dry with paper towels and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof frying pan or casserole.

Place the chicken skin-side down and cook for approximately 5–7 minutes, until the skin is nicely golden. Turn and briefly brown the other side.

Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

2. Cook the chorizo

Cut the chorizo into thick slices or half-moons and add it to the same pan.

Cook for approximately 2–3 minutes, allowing the sausage to release some of its paprika-infused fat.

If you don’t have chorizo, use a good-quality smoked or paprika sausage. Choose a firm sausage that will retain its texture during cooking.

3. Prepare the vegetable base

Add the finely chopped onion and diced red and green peppers.

Cook over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes until they begin to soften.

Add the chopped garlic, tomato paste and smoked paprika. Stir and cook for another 30 seconds.

Be careful not to burn the paprika, as it can quickly become bitter.

4. Make the sauce

Pour in the dry white wine or sherry.

Using a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan to release all the caramelised bits left from the chicken and chorizo.

Allow the wine to reduce for 2–3 minutes.

Pour in the chicken stock and add the black olives. Stir and bring everything to a gentle simmer.

5. Roast the chicken

Return the chicken legs to the pan skin-side up.

Try to keep the skin above the level of the sauce. This allows it to remain crisp while the meat gently cooks in the sauce.

Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for approximately 35–45 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken legs.

For extra-crispy skin, increase the oven temperature to around 210°C / 410°F for the final 5 minutes.

6. Finish the sauce

Remove the cooked chicken from the pan and keep it warm.

Place the pan back over medium heat and allow the sauce to reduce for another 5–8 minutes.

The sauce should remain relatively fluid but become slightly thicker, glossy and more concentrated in flavour.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper.

Finish with a few drops of lemon juice or sherry vinegar to balance the richness, then stir in some freshly chopped parsley.

TGCC TIP

Don’t rush the sauce.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pan and allow the sauce to reduce on its own for a few minutes. The fat released by the chorizo combines with the chicken stock, wine and roasting juices to create a much deeper and more concentrated flavour.

If you use a traditional smoked or paprika sausage instead of chorizo, add a little extra smoked paprika to the vegetable base. This will help retain the Spanish character of the dish.

HOW TO SERVE

Simple steamed white rice is an ideal accompaniment because it absorbs the rich sauce without competing with its flavours.

Cook the rice separately. Spoon some of the sauce with chorizo, peppers and olives around or over the rice, then add the roasted chicken leg and finish with fresh parsley.

And don’t forget some good crusty bread on the table. The sauce is far too good to leave behind.

WINE PAIRING

Roasted chicken, chorizo, smoked paprika and olives work particularly well with a dry red wine that offers enough fruit and freshness to balance the richness of the dish.

Spanish choice: Marqués de Cáceres Crianza – Rioja

A Rioja Crianza is a natural match for this dish. The fruit and spice character of Tempranillo complements the chorizo and smoked paprika, while the wine’s maturation adds complexity that works particularly well with the roasted chicken.

Serve it slightly cool, at around 15–16°C / 59–61°F.

Slovak choice: Karpatská Perla – Frankovka Modrá 2021

For a Slovak alternative, try Karpatská Perla Frankovka Modrá 2021 from the Small Carpathian wine region.

Frankovka Modrá – known internationally as Blaufränkisch – brings fresh acidity and red-fruit character, which helps balance the richness of the chorizo and crispy chicken skin.

And if you prepare the recipe with traditional Slovak sausage instead of chorizo, this pairing becomes even more interesting.

For cooking: use dry white wine or dry Fino sherry rather than either of these red wines. This keeps the sauce fresh and preserves its characteristic golden-red colour.

RECIPE DETAILS

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Spanish / Spanish-inspired
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Total time: approx. 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy to Medium

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