Sunny Chicken Paella Recipes

Steps:

• In a large deep non-stick skillet, or a paella pan with cover, warm olive oil over medium-high heat.
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper on all sides.
• Add the chicken, and brown on all sides.
• Remove chicken; set aside.
• Add in the onion and garlic, saute until translucent.
• Stir in the rice, cook for 1 minute.
• Add in tomatoes, chicken broth, capers and the cayenne pepper.
• Press chicken pieces down into the liquid.
• Cover the pan, and bring the liquid to a slow simmer; reduce the heat to very low.
• Cook until the rice is tender (about 30-40 minutes).
• Top with olives and peas; stir very gently.
• Arrange the pepper strips on top of the paella.
• Cover the pan again, cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the peas are hot.

Steps:

• For the chicken: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Heat a large enameled cast-iron pot over medium-high heat, and add the oil. Mix the chili powder, cumin and coriander together in a bowl. Sprinkle the chicken liberally with salt and pepper and the spice mixture. Add the chicken to the pot, skin-side down, and sear until the skin is golden brown; flip, and sear for another 3 minutes. Remove the chicken thighs to a small baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Remove and let rest.
• For the rice: Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in the pot that was used for the chicken. Add the onions, peppers, celery, marjoram and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions become translucent, then add the garlic; cook for another 3 minutes. Add tomato puree and cook for 2 minutes. Add the rice and saute for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer. Place in the oven and cook for 20 minutes, or until rice is cooked.
• Let the rice sit for at least 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Add the cilantro, and season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Garnish with avocado and olives.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on all sides until almost cooked through and beginning to brown, 5 minutes. Stir in the chorizo; cook until it releases its oil and begins to brown, another 5 minutes. Stir in the onions and garlic; cook just until the garlic is toasted and the onions are slightly softened, 2 minutes more. Stir in the chicken stock, clam juice and fire-roasted tomatoes. Add the peas, paprika, saffron and 1 tablespoon salt. Increase the heat to medium and slowly bring the liquid to a boil.
• Meanwhile, lightly spray a baking sheet with canola oil. Spread the rice evenly onto the tray and lightly spray with more canola oil. Toast the rice in the oven until light golden brown in spots, 10 minutes.
• At this point, the chicken mixture should be boiling. Ladle it evenly over the rice and return the baking sheet to the oven. Cover the paella by inverting another baking sheet and placing it on top. Bake until the liquid is completely absorbed and the rice is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove the top baking sheet, and then remove the paella from the oven. Preheat the broiler.
• Sprinkle the shrimp with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Combine the shrimp with the clams and mussels in a large bowl.
• Arrange the shrimp, clams and mussels on the paella with the shell openings facing up. Lightly drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Broil--keeping a close eye--until the shrimp are cooked through, the clams and mussels have opened, and the rice is crispy, 2 to 3 minutes for a top broiler or 5 to 6 minutes for a bottom broiler. Sprinkle immediately with the olives and parsley.

Steps:

• Separate chicken legs at joint; sprinkle with 1/4 tsp each of the salt and pepper In large deep skillet, heat oil over medium heat; cook chicken, turning once, for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove and set aside.
• Drain fat from pan.
• Cook onions and garlic, stirring, for 3 minutes.
• Add paprika, turmeric, cayenne, and remaining salt and pepper; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
• Coarsely chop tomatoes and add along with juice to pan, stirring to scrape up brown bits.
• Add stock and rice; bring to boil.
• Return chicken to pan; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced and rice is just tender.
• Stir in red pepper and peas; cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Steps:

• (Note: Lobster Stock recipe not shown in video. Make Lobster Stock before commencing with the rest of the paella, or substitute chicken stock.) Lobster Stock: Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a rolling boil; cook lobsters, 5 minutes. Remove lobsters, reserving water. When cool enough to handle, remove the tails and claws, keeping shells intact, and set aside for the paella. Place lobster bodies on a sturdy surface, belly side up. Cut in half, then quarters, keeping shells intact.In a medium stockpot over medium-high heat, add olive oil and sauté lobster body pieces, 5-7 minutes. Add tomato paste, stirring to thoroughly coat the lobster. Deglaze the pan with brandy and cook off the alcohol, about 1 minute; then add onion, carrots, tomato, fennel, and garlic and continue sautéing, 3-5 minutes. Add 6 cups of the reserved lobster water, stir to combine, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 2-3 hours. Strain stock into a large bowl, discarding lobster pieces and vegetables. Remove 1 cup of the stock; steep a pinch of saffron threads in the hot liquid for 3-4 minutes, then return the saffron-infused broth to the stock. Reserve Lobster Stock for paella. Sofrito: Dice onions and bell pepper (pieces should be the same size); set aside in separate bowls. Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise. Grate over a bowl flesh-side down and discard tomato skin. Smash garlic cloves and roughly chop; use the back of the knife to crush the garlic, then continue to chop to a rough paste. Set aside. Discard stem and seeds of soaked chile; use a knife gently scrape the flesh from the skin of the pepper. Discard the skin and set flesh aside in a small bowl.
• In a large, heavy-bottomed sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, then 1 more tablespoon olive oil. Stir and sweat until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the bell peppers and chile to the onions; then add the grated tomato and season with salt and pepper. Stir, then add garlic and vinegar. Stir to thoroughly combine all ingredients. Reduce heat to low and simmer Sofrito uncovered, stirring occasionally until reduced by two-thirds, about 2 hours. Makes 2 cups Sofrito. (Note: Freeze leftovers in small portions to defrost and use as needed. Even for a quick rice or pasta dish, a bit of this will make all the difference in flavor.)
• Paella: Discard outer casing from chorizo, then dice and set aside. Prepare lobster pieces by cutting across the tail in 2-inch medallions, leaving shells intact. Use the back of a knife to crack the claws. Set lobster aside. Place shrimp and chicken on a rimmed baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• In a paella pan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat until smoking, 1 minute. Lay chicken pieces skin-side down, then the shrimp, in an even layer to sear. After 30 seconds, turn shrimp, cook 30 more seconds, then remove and set aside. (Shrimp will be lightly seared, not fully cooked.)Continue cooking chicken until the skin is golden brown, 2 minutes; to maintain even heat, use the handles to turn the pan as the chicken cooks. Turn chicken over and add chorizo. Add 1 cup Lobster Stock; it should sizzle and steam when it hits the hot pan. Add 1 cup Sofrito and gently stir to combine and return to active simmer, about 30 seconds.
• When paella is at an active simmer, add rice, distributing evenly in the pan. (Note: An active simmer is important; it helps the rice release its starch, giving paella the proper consistency.) Add another 1½ cups stock; gently stir, and season with a pinch or two of salt. Let simmer, turning the pan as necessary so the heat is evenly distributed. Lower heat to medium-low and continue cooking the paella, adding ½ cup of stock at a time as it absorbs, about 20 minutes.
• Flip the chicken pieces, adding stock to the parts of the pan that look drier. As the paella cooks and the dish firms up, the rice will begin to change from translucent to opaque. Stir gently to allow a bit of socarrat (the crispy bottom that is the prized part of paella) to begin to form on the bottom.
• When the rice has nearly finished cooking (about 25 minutes total), bury the clams into the paella, followed by the mussels. Then layer the shrimp on top. Raise the heat to medium-high.
• Add lobster tail and claw pieces to the pan. Flip the shrimp to let them cook completely through. Check that the chicken is cooked through: Cut into a piece and check that the color is rosy, but not deep pink. Taste the paella for seasoning and add a pinch more salt, if necessary. Finish the paella with a final drizzle of olive oil. Remove the paella pan from the heat and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. (Note: Discard any clams or mussels that have not opened.)

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute the chicken, ham, onion and red pepper in 2 teaspoons oil until chicken is browned on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon. , In the same skillet, saute rice in remaining 1 teaspoon oil until lightly browned. Stir in the turmeric, cumin, garlic and salt. Return meat and vegetables to pan; toss lightly. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cover and simmer until rice is tender, 30-35 minutes. Stir in peas.