Paella

Paella is a pretty iconic Spanish dish, typically studded with muscles or shrimp and vibrant saffron spiced rice. Other versions however do exist, paella Valencia is made with a lot of green veggies. And this version, the one I went with for allergy reasons, I'm not sure it has a specific name, but has the iconic bright saffron rice and chicken in place of the seafood. 

The farmers market in Florida near family we were visiting had a fun vendor with a huge pan they sold by the dish. It looked and smelled wonderful and inspired me to update my recipe here with a more artful presentation and better picture.

6 Chicken Thighs
5 c. chicken broth
0.25 gram saffron
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
Olive Oil, lots
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red pepper, chopped (6 slices reserved)
1/2 c. peas
2 c. short grain rice
1 lemon
1 green onion, sliced

In a pot, heat the broth and add the sugar, vinegar, and saffron. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer until ready to use. 

In a separate pan heat the olive oil. Season the chicken with the salt, pepper, and paprika. Add the chicken to the pan and leave until browned. Turn over and brown on the other side. Remove the chicken from the pan. Add the garlic, bell peppers, and tomato paste. Saute just for a minute or two until the garlic is fragrant. 

Add the chicken back to the pan with the broth. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the rice and peas. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat. simmer, covered for 15 - 20 minutes, until the rice is tender. 

Tuck the reserved red pepper in between the chicken thighs. Garnish with lemon wedges or slices and sliced green onion.

Original Picture - Post Updated 8/14/2018