Best 2 Dutch Oven Paella Recipes

DUTCH OVEN PAELLA

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Toss shrimp, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1 teaspoon garlic in medium bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
• Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper; set aside.
• Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until skin begins to blister and turn spotty black, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer peppers to small plate and set aside.
• Add 1 teaspoon oil to now-empty Dutch oven; heat oil until shimmering but not smoking. Add chicken pieces in single layer; cook, without moving pieces, until browned, about 3 minutes. Turn pieces and brown on second side, about 3 minutes longer; transfer chicken to medium bowl. Reduce heat to medium and add chorizo to pot; cook, stirring frequently, until deeply browned and fat begins to render, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer chorizo to bowl with chicken and set aside.
• Add enough oil to fat in Dutch oven to equal 2 tablespoons; heat over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes; stir in remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes; cook until mixture begins to darken and thicken slightly, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in rice and cook until grains are well coated with tomato mixture, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, wine, saffron, bay, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Return chicken and chorizo to pot, increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Cover pot and transfer to oven; cook until rice absorbs almost all liquid, about 15 minutes.
• Remove pot from oven (close oven door to retain heat). Uncover pot; scatter shrimp over rice, insert mussels hinged side down into rice (so they stand upright), arrange bell pepper strips in pinwheel pattern, and scatter peas over top.
• Cover and return to oven; cook until shrimp are opaque and mussels have opened, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Let paella stand, covered, about 5 minutes. Discard any mussels that have not opened and bay leaf, if it can be easily removed. Sprinkle with parsley and serve, passing lemon wedges separately.

DUTCH OVEN PAELLA

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl or tub season the chicken with 2 Tbs. essence and 2 tsp. salt. Toss the thighs to cover with seasonings. Heat a 20" Cabela's Dutch oven lid over a checkerboard pattern of briquettes, then add ¼ cup of the olive oil to the lid. Once the oil starts to smoke cook the thighs on each side for 4 minutes per side to sear. Remove the chicken from the lid, and set aside. Add remaining oil and chorizo and brown, stirring occasionally until well browned, about 7 minutes. Add onions, and peppers and continue cooking until onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and saute 3 minutes, then add garlic and saffron. Spread this mixture evenly across the lid then place the chicken thighs across the top of the mixture in a single layer. Pour about 1 qt. of the broth into the lid or as much liquid it will hold without over flowing. Cover with bottom and add more broth as needed in 15 to 20 minute intervals, adding as much as possible without over flowing until all the broth is used up. When the last of the broth is added, place the shrimp, mussels, and clams around the entire dish and cover. Cook 15 minutes, remove cover and sprinkle peas over the top, cover and remove from heat, let rest 7 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve from the lid on a lid trivet in the center of a table. Serves 8 two breasts per person, or 16 one breast per person. *NOTE: This recipe may be doubled by cooking in the 20" Dutch oven by using the oven traditionally right-side up.