Alice Han of MasterChef Shares Her ‘Perfect Lazy Dinner’ Recipe

Hello and welcome to our latest edition of MasterChef at Home, where 2023 contestants share their favourite easy recipes on their departure from the MasterChef Australia kitchen. This week, we’ve got a delicious chicken paella recipe from Alice Han, who sadly packed up her apron after the Messinetta Pressure Test.

Here’s how to make this take on paella at home yourself.

MasterChef at Home: Alice’s paella recipe

Han described this dish as, “A fusion dish and the perfect lazy dinner-for-guests dish that is so easy to put together and impress your guests!”

Lazy recipes? Colour us interested.

What you’ll need for your paella:

Peruvian chicken marinade 

• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp paprika powder
• 2 tbsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2 tsp pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2tbsp white vinegar
• 3-4. lbs chicken (drumsticks, thighs, legs, etc.)
• 2 tsp sugar

Paella

• 1 tbsp olive oil (or any neutral tasting oil)
• 1 white or yellow onion, peeled and diced
• 1 cup short grain white rice
• 2 cups chicken stock or any stock or water
• 1 ½ tsp dried oregano
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• ¾ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 lime
• Coriander

Directions for your paella:

1. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and cover the chicken with the marinade. Rub the marinade generously into the skin and between the skin and meat where possible for maximum flavour.
2. Cover the bowl and keep the chicken rested in the fridge for at least an hour and ideally overnight.
3. Pour a tsp of oil in the pan and sear chicken pieces on both sides for 2-3 mins per piece in a Dutch oven or any pot or wok that has a cover and is oven-safe.
4. Place the seared chicken on a plate and keep to the side.
5. Sauté onions until they start to brown and caramelize.
6. Add oregano and minced garlic and sauté for another minute.
7. Add a tsp of oil and then 1 cup of rice. Sauté the rice in the pan for a minute until the oil and flavoring coats and lightly toasts the rice.
8. Add 2 cups of stock or water (enough to basically cover every bit of rice) and let it simmer for 2 mins.
9. Add salt and pepper to the rice and stock mix.
10. Place chicken pieces on top of the rice such that it sits on top of the rice and stock layer.
11. Cut 4-5 slices of lime and place them on top of the rice and stock layer, filling in any holes left by the chicken pieces.
12. Bake with lid covered for 30 mins at 195C in the oven.
13. After 30 mins, take the lid off and bake for another 15 mins at 195C in the oven or until the skin of the chicken is golden and crisp.
14. Chop coriander and slice lime to serve.

If you want more recipes like this tasty paella, check out Amy’s veal Milanese next.

MasterChef Australia airs Sunday to Thursday at 7.30 pm on 10 and 10 Play.