I just missed the thing with the pumpkin and Halloween. Today is the first of November. The night of witches and monsters is over. Where I live, you don’t notice anything about it anyway. For me, this date traditionally represents the opening of the Pumpkin season. While I’ve been clinging to green beans, chard and the like so far, now the time for pumpkins and sweet potatoes begins. The one with the “One pot“Sounds tempting, but it only works if you can now nonchalantly reach into the freezer and conjure up homemade chicken broth.
Of course, a good broth in a glass is also fine.
Once I’ve used up my stock in the freezer, it’s no use and I still need a pot to cook chicken stock.
Even if the amount of ingredients is because of the Spices is a little more extensive, the preparation is quite quick. Cooking the rice directly in the broth has the advantage that it gets a bit of flavor from everything, making the dish rich and particularly tasty.
Once everything is in the pan, you can sit back and wait for the oven to do the rest of the work. The smoky notes that chipotle chili, chorizo and smoked paprika contribute are great here. For smoke flavor junkies like me, this is pure bliss. By the way, the best way to get chipotle chili is in special spice shops or online. It is hotter than smoked paprika and has many uses.
Chicken with pumpkin, chili, chorizo and rice
For two
Spice mix
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground chipotle chili (alternatively more smoked paprika)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp smoked paprika
400g boneless skinless chicken drumsticks
Sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
50 g smoked bacon, cut into fine cubes
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
1 medium carrot, finely diced
3 cloves garlic (preferably fresh garlic), finely chopped
1 pinch of cinnamon
1 tbsp tomato paste
120 g chorizo, cut into 1 x 1cm cubes
300 ml chicken broth
1 tbsp grated zest of an untreated lemon
100 g basmati rice, washed and drained
200 g pumpkin flesh (Hokkaido is ideal because you don’t have to peel it), cut into wedges or cubes
1-2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into diagonal rings that are not too fine
Add on top: lemon juice and fresh coriander or parsley
Heat the oven to 180°C fan
Mix the spices in a small bowl.
Salt and pepper the chicken and rub with half of the spice mixture.
Heat the oil in an ovenproof pan with a lid. A well-closing lid is important. Otherwise, close tightly with aluminum foil.
First fry the bacon together with the diced onions, carrots and garlic at a medium temperature for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining spice mixture, add cinnamon and tomato paste. Continue frying for another 1 – 2 minutes while stirring.
If the mixture is too dry, simply add a tablespoon of water. It is important that it does not burn.
Add the chorizo, lemon zest and chicken broth to the pan and mix everything well. Stir in the dry rice.
Add the chicken along with the pumpkin wedges and pepperoni. Add a little salt and pepper again.
Put the lid on and put it in the oven for 25 minutes, then remove the lid and cook uncovered for another 20 minutes.
If the whole thing looks too dry, you can also add a little water (2 tbsp).
Before serving, drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with coriander or parsley. 
