Big Sky Paella

Submitted by ellrgee

"This savory spanish rice dish is an easy one-pot meal with just enough spice to warm you up from the inside out! I was looking for a Spanish dish to take for a theme dinner party and came up with this simplified hybrid of a few recipes I'd researched. This recipe can easily be adapted to suit your tastes... add oregano to the chicken seasoning if you like that flavor, omit the shrimp, or even add additional shellfish such as clams or mussels if you like. The dish comes together very quickly after the initial ingredient prep. Be careful not to add too much liquid, the finished dish is nice if the rice toasts and forms a slight crunch on the bottom. Don't forget the squeeze of lemon!"

 

• Ready In: 1hr 15mins
• Ingredients: 17
• Serves: 8-10

ingredients

• 1 white onion, medium dice
• 1 red bell pepper, medium dice
• 2 cups long grain rice
• 2 -3 sausage links, cut across into bite size rounds (chorizo or spicy Louisiana style)
• 1 (8 ounce) package chicken tenders, cut across into bite size pieces
• 15 -20 medium shrimp, cleaned, uncooked (fresh or thawed)
• 3 green onions, white and tender green parts, sliced across
• 1 cup frozen peas, steamed in micro for three minutes then drained
• 1 (32 ounce) box chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon saffron
• 2 -3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 -3 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 -2 teaspoon salt and pepper (or to taste)
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

directions

1. In a medium pot, simmer chicken stock w/ bay leaf and saffron.
2. Season chicken tenders w/ paprika, S&P.
3. In paella pan or 15” skillet, on med-high, heat 1.5 TBSP olive oil and sauté chicken tenders until browned on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside in large bowl.
4. Add sausage to skillet and brown on both sides. Add sausage to bowl w/ chicken, keeping any grease and remaining oil in the pan.
5. Add onion, red bell pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes, S&P to pan. Saute until soft (add extra oil here if necessary).
6. Add rice and toast 3-4 minute.
7. Add all chicken stock to pan, stir, reduce heat, cover and let simmer 10 minute.
8. Stir in chicken, sausage and shrimp, top w/ peas, cover and let simmer 10 more minutes.
9. Remove from heat, garnish w/ green onions.
10. Serve w/ lemon wedges and Enjoy!

Reviews

[cjsmama]

I've made this with and without saffron and while it is delicious either way, the saffron makes a delicious difference. So does the chorizo. I will use cajun andouille in a pinch, but chorizo is what this dish begs for. Don't try to wait for all the liquid to absorb. When the time is up, the rice is done and the flavor is in the "juice", too. Try it.

 

[ChefNikkiD]

This dish has been in my regular rotation since I tried it the day ellrgee posted it. I use andouille sausage and skipped the saffron (it's so expensive, but I will add it one of these days since I hear paella isn't paella without it) and it tastes like I put a lot more work into it than I actually did. It's a pretty dish, too.