Perfect Paella

This is a Rachael Ray recipe so you know it is easy and good. The combination of chicken, chorizo, and sea food mixed with the spices and rice make this a wonderful dish. I am not a mussel fan, so I left them out when making this recipe.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3  garlic cloves, crushed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2  cups  enriched white rice
• 1⁄4 teaspoon saffron thread
• 1  bay leaf
• 1  quart chicken broth (or stock)
• 4  fresh spring thyme
• 1 1⁄2 lbs  chicken tenders, cut into thirds
•  salt
•  fresh ground pepper
• 1  red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 3⁄4 lb chorizo sausage, casing removed and sliced on an angle
• 1  lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 24 shrimp)
• 18  green lipped mussels, cleaned
• 1  cup  frozen peas
• 2  lemons, zested

• Garnish

• 1⁄4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 4  scallions, chopped
•  lemon wedge
•  crusty bread

Directions

1. In a very wide pan or paella pan, preheated over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil crushed garlic, red pepper flakes, add rice and saute 2 or 3 minutes. Add saffron threads, bay leaf, broth, and thyme and bring liquids to a boil over high heat. Cover the pan with lid or foil and reduce heat to simmer.
2. In a separate non-stick skillet, over medium-high heat brown chicken on both sides in 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add peppers and onions to the pan and cook 3 minutes longer. Add chorizo to the pan and cook 2 minutes more. Remove pan from heat.
3. After about 13 minutes, add shellfish to the rice pan, nesting them in cooking rice. Pour in peas, scatter lemon zest over the rice and seafood, then cover the pan again. After 5 minutes, remove cover or foil from the paella and discard any unopened mussel shells. Stir rice and seafood mixture and lift out bay and thyme stems. Arrange cooked chicken and peppers, onions and chorizo around the pan. Top with parsley and scallions.
4. Serve with wedges of lemon and warm crusty bread.