Paella

Paella Dish Guide

Serves 4

4 Bone-In Skin-On Chicken Thighs

½ lb of medium shrimp, deveined and de-shelled

½ lb of Spanish chorizo or other smokey sausage

1 bell pepper, diced

1 medium white onion, diced

3-4 roma tomatoes, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1.5 cups arborio rice

½ cup dry white wine

3.5 cups chicken stock

Pinch (6-8 threads) of saffron

Salt and pepper to taste

2 T olive oil

½ cup frozen peas

Fresh peppers, lemon and parsley to garnish (or garnishes of your choosing)

In a large, shallow skillet (12” or more) add the sausage and cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until some color develops.  Remove and add additional olive oil as needed (about 2T).  Place chicken thighs skin-side down in to pan and raise heat to medium high.  Cook for 4-5 minutes or until fat begins to render and skin begins to brown.  Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes then remove to a plate to rest. 

Add the bell pepper and onion to the skillet and return heat to medium.  Cook, stirring occasionally for 4-5 minutes or until they soften slightly.  Add the garlic and cook out for 1-2 minutes.  Meanwhile, add 4 cups of chicken stock to a pot and warm over medium-low heat.  Add the saffron and steep while the veggies cook.

Add the rice to the pan and stir to coat each grain in fat and toast for 3-4 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and wine and stir to deglaze the pan.  Scrape any and all fond off the bottom.  Add the sausage and stir to combine all ingredients evenly.  Add 3 and ½ cups of stock and make sure it is evenly dispersed.  Nestle the chicken in the rice and stock and cover.  Turn to low heat and cook, covered, for 15 minutes.

Uncover the pot.  Most of the liquid should be evaporated.  If pan happens to be dry, add some of the remaining stock.  Add the shrimp and frozen peas and cover for 1-2 minutes.  Uncover and turn heat to medium high for 3-4 minutes or until the liquid is evaporated/absorbed and the shrimp are cooked through.  This helps create the soccorat or crispy brown layer on the bottom of the pan.  Again, use extra broth as needed if your rice is too dry or uncooked. 

You cannot do this with white or brown long grain rice.  Using a more traditional short grain rice such as bomba or carnaroli would require different liquid ratios and also ordering online.  Go as traditional as you like but we think arborio is totally acceptable.

Garnish with fresh lemon slices, parsley and hot or sweet pepper slices.  Serve in the cooking dish for easy cleanup!