chorizo + chicken paella

while i’ve been lucky enough to visit spain a few times, i only traveled there as a vegetarian, so i’ve never actually eaten authentic paella. the paella that americans commonly know is made up of rice, saffron, chicken, sausage, + shellfish. for this recipe, i omitted the shellfish to make it a bit more user-friendly.

the paella turned out wonderfully. it has a comfort food feeling, with a hearty, rich mix of meat, rice + vegetables. saffron can be pricey but it’s entirely worth it – it adds a lovely flavor + the signature color of the dish. serve this with a thick slice of italian bread, a glass of spanish red wine + you’ll be good to go!

chorizo + chicken paella

makes 6-8 servings, adapted from emeril lagasse

ingredients

1 (3-pound) chicken, cut or pulled into small pieces
2 teaspoons salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
3/4 cup chopped red + yellow bell peppers
6 tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 cups chopped andouille sausage
2 cups uncooked rice
1 1/2 cups chopped peeled tomatoes
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon hot sauce
9 bay leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons creole seasoning
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
4-5 cups white chicken stock

directions

sprinkle chicken pieces evenly with salt + pepper. pat in seasoning with your hands. heat oil in a large deep saucepan over high heat. add chicken + sear until brown on all sides, about 4 minutes.

add onions, peppers, garlic, sausage + rice, stir-fry 2 minutes. stir in tomatoes, worcestershire, hot sauce, bay leaves, creole seasoning + saffron + simmer 1 minute. add stock, stir well + bring to a boil. cover + cook 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

remove bay leaves and serve in large shallow bowls.

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