Chicken Paella with Asparagus
Combining chicken, chorizo, and asparaugs, this is a unique and absolutely delicious take on more traditional paellas, and it’s easier to make, too. Â Fresh rosemary, chives and oregano add extra flavor to this rice dish, which does not even require a paella pan.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/4 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 large chicken thighs with skin and bones, excess skin and fat trimmed (about 2 1/2 pounds)
- 4 ounces 1/4-inch-thick slices fully cooked smoked Spanish chorizo
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
- 2 cups low-salt chicken broth
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
- 1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers from jar
- 2 1/2 cups asparagus, trimmed (about 8 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Mix white wine and saffron threads in small bowl and set aside.
- Combine salt, smoked paprika, and black pepper in another small bowl; rub spice mixture all over chicken thighs.
- Heat heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chorizo and rosemary and sauté, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Transfer chorizo to large plate.
- Add olive oil to skillet. Add chicken thighs to skillet and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate with chorizo.
- Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and stir 30 seconds.
- Add long-grain rice and stir to coat.
- Add wine-saffron mixture and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet.
- Add chicken broth, tomatoes with juice, chives, oregano and roasted red peppers. Bring to simmer.
- Stir in browned chorizo.
- Place chicken thighs, skin side up, atop mixture in skillet. Cover skillet tightly with foil, then cover skillet with lid. Bake paella until rice is almost tender, about 25 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to plate. Stir rice; season to taste with salt and pepper. Scatter asparagus over.
- Return chicken to skillet, nestling into rice. Cover with foil and lid. Bake until asparagus are crisp-tender, rice is tender, and chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes longer.
Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6