If you’re looking for a zingy one-pot meal for dinner then this tasty prawn and chorizo jambalaya is ideal.

I like mine spicy, but you can adapt it to have less heat for families who may have little ones that prefer milder spice.

The delicious surf-and-turf combination of prawn and chorizo is divine, and there’s very little washing up because everything cooks together in one pot.

I use a large cast iron pan for this recipe. You don’t need a lid for the pan.

For this recipe I use paella rice, which you should be able to find easily in your local supermarket. It’s quite similar to cooking risotto rice, as it’s also a shorter grain and takes a little more time to cook.

I love it because I think the chunkier rice grains work so well with this meal, although I know the Spanish won’t be big fans of me associating paella with this recipe, as it’s not true to a traditional paella.

What is jambalaya

This tasty rice dish originates from Louisiana in the US and features meat or seafood combined with veggies such as onions, peppers and celery.

Delicious flavour comes from cajun spices and the whole thing cooks together in chicken stock.

My version of jambalaya would not be held up as an authentic example, but it is cheap and easy to put together at the end of a busy day. Anything that gets cooked all together in one pot is a winner in my book!

Ways to adapt this recipe

The great thing about this recipe is you can adapt it for your own tastes or just to change things up. Here are some ideas:

• Add chicken instead of or as well as prawns.
• Use diced pork.
• Add lardons instead of chorizo if you want less spice.
• Add a stick of celery, diced, for extra veggies and flavour.
• Use long grain rice instead of paella rice.
• Add a fresh chilli if you want some more spice.
• Use a teaspoon of paprika for extra flavour and heat.