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Easy Chicken Paella Recipe
Paella is a recipe which originated in Spain in the 1800s and has since spread around the world, especially to the regions of the Americas which were once Spanish colonies, including of course, Mexico. While this may be a European dish, it is very popular in the New World as well and there is a nearly endless variety of paella recipes to choose from.
While in Spain, the dish is commonly made in a round, flat pan called a paellera, you can make paella in a skillet or wok with ease. Common ingredients in paella include seafood, chicken, and sausage, but there are variations which feature nearly any kind of meat or vegetable you care to name.
This is a simple chicken paella recipe which makes a great and easy to make introduction to cooking this classic Spanish dish. While paella isn't as easy to make as say, a TV dinner, the time you spend in the kitchen preparing this dish will reward you with a delicious meal which you'll want to make time and time again.
Chicken Paella
Ingredients -
1 cup olive oil
1 whole chicken, chopped into large pieces
1 lb rice, uncooked
3 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 cup frozen peas (if you can get fresh peas, even better)
1 yellow or red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 clove of garlic (optional)
1 small bunch of fresh parsley (preferably flat leaf parsley), chopped
A pinch of saffron
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Lemon wedges, for garnish
Preparation:
Heat half of the oil in a very large skillet or wok and once it is hot, cook the chicken in oil for 15 minutes or until nicely browned. Remove the chicken and set aside. Add the onion and tomato to the skillet and cook for a few minutes, then add the green and red peppers, rice, and chicken along with a little more oil, if needed. Cook for another few minutes, stirring constantly.
Add the broth to your skillet or wok along with saffron and about half of the parsley and reduce to a simmer, cooking for about 20 minutes or until about half of the broth has been absorbed. Add the minced garlic and peas and cook until the broth is absorbed and the rice is cooked. Remove from heat and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving with lemon wedges.
(Serves 4)
Photo Description:
Paella is not that demanding of a dish to make; while it takes a little time, it is essentially a one-dish meal, so there is a tradeoff in terms of less cleanup time afterwards. This chicken paella recipe is wonderful as a dinner or lunch dish served with a green salad, side vegetable or as the Spanish do, along with some crusty bread, olives and a little bit of cheese. However you choose to enjoy your paella, it is certain that you will enjoy this wonderful classic Spanish recipe. Remember that this is a very flexible recipe, so if you are out of one ingredient, you can easily substitute a similar ingredient and still end up with a fantastic paella.
