Perfect Paella

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 6 chicken thighs, trimmed
• 6 chicken wings, trimmed
• 8 ounces medium shrimp, shelled, tails intact
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, diced
• 8 ounces chorizo sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices (or kielbasa)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron thread
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 (35 ounce) can italian plum tomatoes, coarsely broken up in colander and drained well
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups italian short-grain rice (arborio or tesori)
• 2 (13 3/4 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 1 (6 1/2 ounce) jar whole roasted red peppers, drained, diced
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 6 small mussels, soaked, scrubbed, bearded
• 12 -16 stuffed spanish olives

Recipe

• 1 heat oil in deep oven proof 12-inch skillet or paella pan over medium-high heat. add thighs and saute, turning once, about 5 minutes. add wings and saute, turning all pieces once or twice, until light golden, about 12 minutes. transfer to plate.
• 2 add shrimp to skillet and cook, tossing frequently, 1 minute. transfer to plate.
• 3 add onion and bell pepper to skillet. reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, about 10 minutes. stir in sausage, garlic, bay leaf, saffron, and thyme; cook 1 minute. stir in tomatoes and a pinch each of salt and pepper. cook, stirring and breaking up tomatoes, about 5 minutes.
• 4 heat oven to 350 degrees.
• 5 add rice to skillet and stir with large fork until grains are translucent, about 5 minutes. pour broth into quart measure, spoon off fat, and add enough cold water to make 1 quart. pour diluted broth into skillet and increase heat slightly. heat to boiling, then gently boil 5 minutes, stirring frequently. remove from heat.
• 6 tuck chicken and shrimp into rice. scatter roasted red peppers and peas over top.
• 7 bake uncovered until liquid is absorbed but rice is still moist, about 15 minutes. add mussels and bake 5 minutes longer.
• 8 remove skillet from oven and cover tightly with foil. let stand 5 minutes. scatter olives over paella and serve hot.