Chicken and Chorizo Paella
Bring a taste of Spain to your kitchen with our easy-to-follow Chicken and Chorizo Paella recipe, featuring smoked paprika and optional saffron.
Ingredients
- 4 1/4 cups chicken stock
- 1 red bell pepper thickly sliced
- 1 large onion sliced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 boneless skin-on chicken thighs (or bites of chicken breast)
- 3 cured gluten-free chorizo sausages cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- sea salt and ground pepper
- 14- ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1½ cups Spanish rice
- good pinch saffron threads optional
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme or rosemary
Instructions
- Cut the chicken thighs in half or into thirds if they are large. Season them well with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in the pan and cook the chicken, skin side down, until deeply golden. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, bay leaves, thyme or rosemary, paprika, chorizo, and saffron (if using) to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add a bit more oil if necessary.
- Stir in the tomatoes and rice, then pour in the stock. Season generously with salt and pepper, then nestle the chicken and its juices back into the pan. Reduce the heat to low and cover with foil. Cook without stirring for about 20 minutes, until the rice is tender but still slightly firm. Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
- Cook’s note: For a nice touch, top the paella with quick-fried green beans. Heat a bit of olive oil in a sauté pan. When hot, add a layer of beans and cook over high heat for about 2 minutes until lightly blistered. Season with salt.