CHICKEN AND SEAFOOD PAELLA

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Chicken and Seafood Paella image

Paella is a traditional Spanish dish that teaches you how to slow cook and build deep flavors into a meal-and it's something you need to try at least once in your life.

Provided by Seamus Mullen

Categories     main-dish

Time 3h

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 30

2 live lobsters, 1¼ lb each
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup brandy
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
2 carrots, chopped into big chunks
1 tomato, quartered
1 bulb fennel, quartered
2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1 pinch saffron threads
3 Spanish onions
1 red bell pepper
2 tomatoes, preferably on the vine
2 cloves garlic
1 dried ancho chile pepper, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided plus more for finishing
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, may substitute balsamic or sherry vinegar
3 ounces dried Spanish chorizo, preferably spicy
Lobster claws, tails from 2 lobsters, cooked, shells on, reserved from Lobster Stock, if making
10 jumbo shrimp, tail-on
2 pounds chicken drumsticks and thighs, skin-on
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
5 cups Lobster Stock, divided, may substitute chicken stock; steep saffron threads as directed in Step 1
1 cup Sofrito
2 cups short-grain rice, such as Bomba, Calasparra, or Arborio
1/2 pound mussels
1/2 pound clams, Manila, littleneck, or New Zealand cockles

Steps:

  • (Note: Lobster Stock recipe not shown in video. Make Lobster Stock before commencing with the rest of the paella, or substitute chicken stock.) Lobster Stock: Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a rolling boil; cook lobsters, 5 minutes. Remove lobsters, reserving water. When cool enough to handle, remove the tails and claws, keeping shells intact, and set aside for the paella. Place lobster bodies on a sturdy surface, belly side up. Cut in half, then quarters, keeping shells intact.In a medium stockpot over medium-high heat, add olive oil and sauté lobster body pieces, 5-7 minutes. Add tomato paste, stirring to thoroughly coat the lobster. Deglaze the pan with brandy and cook off the alcohol, about 1 minute; then add onion, carrots, tomato, fennel, and garlic and continue sautéing, 3-5 minutes. Add 6 cups of the reserved lobster water, stir to combine, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 2-3 hours. Strain stock into a large bowl, discarding lobster pieces and vegetables. Remove 1 cup of the stock; steep a pinch of saffron threads in the hot liquid for 3-4 minutes, then return the saffron-infused broth to the stock. Reserve Lobster Stock for paella. Sofrito: Dice onions and bell pepper (pieces should be the same size); set aside in separate bowls. Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise. Grate over a bowl flesh-side down and discard tomato skin. Smash garlic cloves and roughly chop; use the back of the knife to crush the garlic, then continue to chop to a rough paste. Set aside. Discard stem and seeds of soaked chile; use a knife gently scrape the flesh from the skin of the pepper. Discard the skin and set flesh aside in a small bowl.
  • In a large, heavy-bottomed sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, then 1 more tablespoon olive oil. Stir and sweat until translucent, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the bell peppers and chile to the onions; then add the grated tomato and season with salt and pepper. Stir, then add garlic and vinegar. Stir to thoroughly combine all ingredients. Reduce heat to low and simmer Sofrito uncovered, stirring occasionally until reduced by two-thirds, about 2 hours. Makes 2 cups Sofrito. (Note: Freeze leftovers in small portions to defrost and use as needed. Even for a quick rice or pasta dish, a bit of this will make all the difference in flavor.)
  • Paella: Discard outer casing from chorizo, then dice and set aside. Prepare lobster pieces by cutting across the tail in 2-inch medallions, leaving shells intact. Use the back of a knife to crack the claws. Set lobster aside. Place shrimp and chicken on a rimmed baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
  • In a paella pan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat until smoking, 1 minute. Lay chicken pieces skin-side down, then the shrimp, in an even layer to sear. After 30 seconds, turn shrimp, cook 30 more seconds, then remove and set aside. (Shrimp will be lightly seared, not fully cooked.)Continue cooking chicken until the skin is golden brown, 2 minutes; to maintain even heat, use the handles to turn the pan as the chicken cooks. Turn chicken over and add chorizo. Add 1 cup Lobster Stock; it should sizzle and steam when it hits the hot pan. Add 1 cup Sofrito and gently stir to combine and return to active simmer, about 30 seconds.
  • When paella is at an active simmer, add rice, distributing evenly in the pan. (Note: An active simmer is important; it helps the rice release its starch, giving paella the proper consistency.) Add another 1½ cups stock; gently stir, and season with a pinch or two of salt. Let simmer, turning the pan as necessary so the heat is evenly distributed. Lower heat to medium-low and continue cooking the paella, adding ½ cup of stock at a time as it absorbs, about 20 minutes.
  • Flip the chicken pieces, adding stock to the parts of the pan that look drier. As the paella cooks and the dish firms up, the rice will begin to change from translucent to opaque. Stir gently to allow a bit of socarrat (the crispy bottom that is the prized part of paella) to begin to form on the bottom.
  • When the rice has nearly finished cooking (about 25 minutes total), bury the clams into the paella, followed by the mussels. Then layer the shrimp on top. Raise the heat to medium-high.
  • Add lobster tail and claw pieces to the pan. Flip the shrimp to let them cook completely through. Check that the chicken is cooked through: Cut into a piece and check that the color is rosy, but not deep pink. Taste the paella for seasoning and add a pinch more salt, if necessary. Finish the paella with a final drizzle of olive oil. Remove the paella pan from the heat and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. (Note: Discard any clams or mussels that have not opened.)

Hussain Alip
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Thanks for sharing this recipe! I'm always looking for new paella recipes to try.


Brownie Johnson
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This paella looks amazing! I can't wait to try it.


Forid Mia
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I would love to try this paella, but I don't have a paella pan. Do you think I could use a regular skillet instead?


Spanna Brace
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This paella is a great way to use up leftover chicken and seafood.


Malek Bouazzi
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I love that this paella can be customized to your liking. You can add or remove ingredients as you see fit.


Nirosha Jayasinghe
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This paella is perfect for a party. It's easy to make ahead of time, and it can be served either hot or cold.


anneloise mwangi
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I was surprised at how easy this paella was to make. It was also very affordable.


Ismail Roonjha
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This paella was a bit time-consuming to make, but it was worth it. It was so delicious!


Md: Abdur Rahim
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I'm not sure what went wrong, but my paella turned out mushy. I think I might have added too much liquid.


Capo hella cool
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This paella was a good starting point, but I would make a few changes next time. I would add more vegetables, and I would use a different type of rice.


Kimlyn Ruiters
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I thought this paella was a bit too salty for my taste.


eleftheriaa venierhh
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This paella was just okay. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't anything special either.


Gift Otu
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I would not recommend this paella recipe. It was bland and tasteless.


Rebecca Camila
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This paella was a disappointment. The rice was undercooked, and the seafood was overcooked.


Carmen Winsten
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I've tried many paella recipes, and this one is by far the best. It's so authentic and delicious.


Manisha Sunam
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This paella is a must-try! It's the perfect dish for a special occasion.


Nadeem Jatt
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I love this paella recipe! It's so flavorful and easy to make. I always get compliments when I serve it.


kaung myat
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This was my first time making paella, and it turned out great! I followed the recipe closely, and it was easy to follow. The paella was delicious, and I will definitely be making it again.


Sheraz Saleem (Sherazi)
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I've made this paella several times now, and it's always a crowd-pleaser. The flavors are amazing, and it's so easy to make.


Cindy Baptiste
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This paella was a huge hit with my family! The combination of chicken and seafood was perfect, and the rice was cooked to perfection. I will definitely be making this again.