PAELLA ~ QUICK AND EASY

Chicken and Shrimp Paella

My family loves this meal!  It's quick and easy to prepare, and the recipe can be easily altered by substituting items.  And, here's the best part, it can be prepared all in one pot!  ;o) 

The use of Spanish chorizo sausage gives this dish a mild spicy flavor.  If you've never had chorizo, you don't know what your missing!  I can say it's one of my favorite sausages.  

The Ingredients:

4 bone-in skinless chicken thighs, plus 4 bone-in skinless chicken drumsticks

(I use 2 or 3 boneless chicken breast cut into chunks)

Coarse salt and ground pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

1 link precooked chorizo chopped - about 2 ozs

(I usually use 2 or 3 links)

1/2 small onion, chopped

2 garlic gloves, minced

1 can (14.5 ozs) diced tomatoes in juice

(for an extra added kick, I sometimes use the 

diced tomatoes and green chilies - like Rotel brand)

1 cup Arborio rice

1 can (14.5 ozs) chicken stock

1 box (10 ozs) frozen peas

1/2 pound peeled and deveined frozen medium shrimp, thawed

The Directions:

Season chicken with salt and pepper.  In a 5 quart Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot, heat oil over med-high.  Working in batches, cook chicken (do not crowd pot - you don't want the meat to "steam") until browned, 7 to 8 minutes, turning once.  Transfer to a plate (reserve pot); set aside

Place pepper, chorizo, onion, garlic and tomatoes (with their juice) in pot; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated, 4 to 6 minutes.

Add rice; cook, stirring until translucent around edges, 1 to 2 minutes.  Add broth and chicken; bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer; cover, and cook until rice begins to soften about 10 minutes.  Add peas and shrimp, submerging them in liquid.  Cover and cook until shrimp are opaque throughout, 4 to 6 minutes. 

That's it!  

Pretty quick and easy . . . and . . . yummy.  

I've even doubled the recipe to feed a crowd.  Serve it up in big bowls with some crusty bread and dinner's on the table.

As you can see from above, I subsituted frozen corn  for frozen peas (I was out!  How can that be???) and I added in some fresh asapargus I had to use.  There's no way you can mess up this dish.  It comes out perfect every time.  Hope you try it!

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