Paella

30 minutes Prep Time
45 minutes Cook Time
6 Servings

Paella is a Spanish rice dish with chicken, sausage vegetables, clams, and shrimp. It is a favorite menu pick for many and seems like something you could only enjoy at a restaurant, but you won’t believe how easy it is to make at home. If you can’t find or don’t want to splurge on saffron, feel free to substitute with tumeric or safflower for that golden color.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 chicken thighs, skinless and boneless, cut into fourths
  • 2 chorizo sausage links, cut into 1/2 inch slices
  • 3 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 3 cups Arborio rice, uncooked, or Bomba rice
  • 8-10 saffron threads, about 1 teaspoon
  • 2 cups seafood stock
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1 (28 ounce) can Redpack Canned Diced Tomatoes 28 oz, with juice

  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 12 mussels
  • 12 little neck clams, scrubbed
  • 1 pound shrimp, jumbo size, peeled and deveined
  • 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
  • fresh parsley, roughly chopped for garnish
  • 12 lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

Step one

Heat olive oil in a large paella pan or large heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken and chorizo and cook until brown on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Step two

Add garlic, onion, and bell pepper; sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened; don’t let the garlic burn.  Season with salt and pepper.

Step three

Add rice and crumble in the saffron to the skillet, stir to coat the rice and toast for 4 to 5 minutes.

Step four

Add both stocks, tomatoes, and paprika; bring to a boil then reduce heat to low.  Cover and cook until rice has absorbed much of the liquid, about 20 minutes.

Step five

Turn heat back up to medium, stir in peas.  Press the clams and mussels into the rice, hinge-side down and cook just until the shells open, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Nestle the shrimp into the rice and cook an additional 2 minutes.  Taste for seasoning, adjust as needed.  Discard any unopened shells.

Step six

Remove from heat, squeeze lemon over the pan and sprinkle with parsley before serving.  Serve with additional lemon wedges.