Chicken Paella

Chicken, Healthy, Main, Recipes,

chicken paella

The weather is starting to change to Fall and with that, I am ready for some new recipes and making Fall time dinners.  This Chicken Paella was absolutely delicious.  I told Brian it was “Spanish Risotto” which it kind of was, as I used Arborio rice.  The best thing was it was a “set it and forget it” type of dish, as the rice doesn’t need constant stirring like risotto, just cover it and put it in the oven and 40 minutes later………magic!  Must try!

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Chicken Paella
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Prep time: 
Cook time: 
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Serves: 6
 
Ingredients
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • ½ teaspoon saffron threads
  • 1 Tbsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 large chicken thighs with skin and bones, excess skin and fat trimmed (about 2½ pounds)
  • 4 ounces ¼-inch-thick slices fully cooked smoked Spanish chorizo
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1½ cups chopped onion (about 1 large)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1½ cups Arborio rice
  • 2 cups low-salt chicken broth
  • 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
  • ¼ cup chopped roasted red peppers from jar
  • Package of frozen peas
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 400.
  2. Mix paprika, salt and pepper in a bowl. Rub chicken all over with the paprika mixture.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add chorizo and cook for 3 minutes until it begins to lightly color.
  4. Remove chorizo, set aside in a bowl.
  5. To the same pan, add the chicken skin side down. Cook for 8 minutes until the skin starts to get browned. Turn the chicken over and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove chicken.
  6. Strain all but 1 Tbsp of fat from the pan. Add the onions to the pan, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring well. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  7. Add the rice, stirring well and cook for 2 minutes.
  8. Add the wine and saffron and cook for 5 minutes, scraping up all of the brown bits.
  9. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes and chopped pepper and chorizo. Season with more salt and pepper if necessary.
  10. Place chicken skin side up on top of the rice. Pour any accumulated juices on top of the rice. Cover the skillet with foil tightly and cover skillet. Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes. Remove skillet from the oven. Take the chicken out of the pan. Add the frozen peas and mix well into the rice. Put the chicken back on top of the rice, then put the skillet back into the oven without a cover for 10 more minutes, so that the peas will cook, the rice and chicken skin will get a little crispy.