After a long day at work there is nothing better than just popping something in the microwave or oven for a complete meal. We all do it, right? So when it comes to cheating with meals where do you draw the line? When does it become fast food and when is it food that you have to make an effort for?
I posted a little while back about the spice subscription boxes and thought they were just a great idea. Herbs and spices all measured out precisely for the fresh ingredients. I've now noticed that supermarkets are introducing the same sort of thing and I love it! you still have to chop, de-seed, mash, whatever but the spice packs save you the step of measuring out the seasonings.
Schwartz now have a number of "Flavour Shots" that you can use to make dishes rather than going out and buying big jars of everything. The Spanish Paella Flavour Shot caught my eye so had to pick it up and make it for dinner! The great thing? You can follow the recipe loosely and make it your own which is what I did! The below instructions are right from the Flavour Shot with the odd additional comment from me...
Heat a frying pan to a medium heat.
Add the Flavour Shot and stir.
After about a minute, add the onion and chorizo. Stir and cook until the onion is soft.
Add the chicken (I used tofu!) and fry for 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the rice making sure it is coated with all of the mixture you have been cooking.
Add the water, pepper and peas (I HATE peas so left these out...)
Reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 mins or until the chicken is cooked.
Make sure you stir every so often - it may look juicy and bubbling but underneath it could be stuck to the pan.
I made a few adaptions to the recipe on the card...I used a green pepper instead of red because I can't get enough of green peppers at the moment. I also used tofu instead of chicken. I'm not a vegetarian but find that sometimes it's so easier to use tofu or Quorn rather than real meat. I also added some celery. We have a bit of a hate/hate relationship but I'm working on it and have found that as long as it's being cooked with other things it's not all that bad and adds a little boost to the flavour.
Ingredients
1 Schwartz Spanish Paella Flavour Shot
1 onion, diced
100g Chorizo, diced - top tip: If you can find "snacking chorizo it's a lot cheaper than from the deli!
400g boneless chicken breasts, diced (I used the same weight of firm tofu)
325g paella rice or risotto rice
1 litre water
1 red pepper, diced (I used a green pepper instead)
100g frozen peas (ugh! Peas! I left these out...)
Optional
1 stalk of celery, finely diced
P.S. Schwartz did not give me this product to try or even ask me to test it out, I just love sharing new products I've found!
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