Spanish Paella with Chorizo, Chicken and Shrimp

Ingredients:

Servings: 8 persons

5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, divided

1/2 teaspoon saffron threads (about 1 pinch), crushed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into (1-inch) pieces

12 medium shell-on shrimp

1 (6-ounce) link dry Spanish chorizo, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon pimentón (smoked paprika)

4 bay leaves

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tomatoes, cored and finely chopped

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups paella rice, such as Valencia

1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and halved

2 large roasted red peppers (from a jar), drained and sliced

1 dozen mussels, scrubbed and debearded

Method:

Heat 1/2 cup of the broth in a pot until simmering, add saffron and set aside for 10 minutes.

Heat oil in a (14- to 16-inch) paella pan or a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, shrimp and chorizo, and cook, stirring occasionally until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a large plate and set aside, leaving chicken and chorizo in the pan. Add pimentón, bay leaves, garlic, tomatoes, onion, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often until thickened and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add saffron broth and remaining 4 1/2 cups chicken broth; bring to a boil.

Add rice and stir very gently to distribute. Top with artichokes and peppers, and cook without stirring, until most of the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 18 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add reserved shrimp and mussels, tucking them down into the rice, and cook again without stirring, until mussels have opened and rice is just tender, 5 to 7 minutes more. (Discard any mussels that don’t open.)

Set aside off of the heat to let rest for 10 minutes, and then serve.