Saffron rice cooked with chorizo, chicken, shrimp, mussels, and colorful veggies for a festive Spanish meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Proteins
01 - 7 oz chorizo sausage, sliced
02 - 9 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
03 - 9 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined
04 - 9 oz mussels, cleaned and debearded
05 - 7 oz calamari rings (optional)
→ Rice and Broth
06 - 2 cups short-grain paella or Arborio rice
07 - 4 cups chicken or seafood stock, heated
08 - ½ teaspoon saffron threads
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
→ Vegetables
10 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
11 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
12 - 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
13 - 2 medium tomatoes, diced
14 - 1 cup frozen peas
15 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Spices & Seasoning
16 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
17 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
18 - 1 bay leaf
→ Garnish
19 - Fresh parsley, chopped
20 - Lemon wedges
# Method:
01 - Steep saffron threads in 3 tablespoons of hot stock in a small bowl and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large paella pan or wide, deep skillet over medium heat. Add chorizo and chicken; cook 5–7 minutes until browned. Remove and set aside.
03 - Add onion and bell peppers to the pan; sauté 4–5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and tomatoes; cook 2 minutes more.
04 - Stir rice and smoked paprika into the vegetables, coating grains evenly.
05 - Return chicken and chorizo to the pan. Pour in saffron-infused stock, remaining stock, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir gently to combine.
06 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes without stirring.
07 - Nestle shrimp, mussels, and calamari into the rice. Scatter peas on top. Cover loosely with foil and cook 10–12 minutes, until seafood is cooked and mussels open.
08 - Remove from heat and let rest covered for 5 minutes. Discard any unopened mussels.
09 - Sprinkle chopped parsley and arrange lemon wedges before serving.
