SHELLFISH AND CHICKEN PAELLA WITH SAFFRON RICE CHORIZO AND GREEN PEAS

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Shellfish and Chicken Paella with Saffron Rice Chorizo and Green Peas image

Paella is a versatile dish made with regional ingredients. It is meant to use the freshest, most readily available fish that can be found. If you use fish or shellfish, go with what is freshest and vary the cooking time -- when you add that particular ingredient to the mix -- accordingly. Since we were in San Francisco, we decided to use local, fresh-caught cuttlefish. I encourage you to use whatever your fish market or fish monger was able to catch that day. I also suggest using the thighs and legs of the chicken because the dark meat will more likely stay moist during the cooking process than chicken breast. I season each layer of the dish with salt and pepper, but go easy: the chorizo adds quite a bit of salt to the dish too.

Provided by Bobby Flay

Categories     main-dish

Time 2h

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 27

4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
*2 egg yolks
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3/4 cup olive oil
Freshly ground white pepper
4 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 cups chicken stock, divided
Large pinch saffron
12 littleneck clams, scrubbed
1 (2 1/2-pound) whole chicken, cut in 8 pieces or 4 legs and 4 thighs (dark meat)
1/2 pound chorizo, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1/4 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups Arborio (paella) rice
12 mussels, debearded and scrubbed
8 large shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tail on
8 baby octopus
4 baby squid, cleaned and sliced into rings, tentacles reserved, and/or 8 ounces cuttlefish pieces
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
2 cooked lobsters (1 1/2 pounds each), tails in the shell, split lengthwise, claw meat in the shell or out, as desired
Freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves, for garnish
1/2 cup Lemon Aioli

Steps:

  • For the aioli:
  • Place the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, egg yolks, lemon juice and zest in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Slowly add the oil, drop by drop at first, until thickened. Season with salt and white pepper, to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  • For the paella:
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the tomatoes in a small baking dish and drizzle with the honey, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and salt and pepper, and roast until soft. Set aside.
  • Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan and add a large pinch of saffron. Put about 1/2 cup of the stock in another saucepan, add the clams, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook just until the clams open; remove the clams from the liquid and set aside, reserving the liquid.
  • Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a very large skillet or paella pan over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and add to the heated pan. Cook until browned on all sides. Remove the chicken pieces to a plate. Add the chorizo, onion and garlic and saute until chorizo has browned and the onions are translucent.
  • Add the rice, about 7 1/2 cups of the chicken stock, the reserved clam liquid, and any juices from the chicken and bring to a simmer. Nestle the chicken in the rice and let cook, uncovered, until the rice is quite al dente, about 15 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer-the rice on the bottom of the pan should form a dark brown crispy crust by the end of the cooking time. If the stock is disappearing too quickly, just add a bit more of the remaining 2 cups.
  • Add the mussels, shrimp, octopus, squid, and/or cuttlefish, and peas. Cook until the shrimp are pink and the mussels open. Add the lobster, clams and roasted tomatoes and heat briefly. At this point, you should still be able to see liquid bubbling gently; it will settle when you turn off the heat. Fold in the parsley and lemon aioli and mix until combined, season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • *RAW EGG WARNING
  • Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs. Due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.

Mahedi Khan
khan_mahedi37@hotmail.com

This paella is a delicious and authentic dish that is sure to impress your guests. It's the perfect dish for a special occasion or a casual weeknight meal.


Waniya Faizan
f.w@hotmail.com

I'm not a fan of green peas, but I didn't mind them in this paella. They added a nice pop of color and freshness.


Amanda Shelford
amanda-shelford80@gmail.com

This paella is a great way to get your kids to eat seafood. The colorful ingredients and flavorful rice are sure to be a hit.


Thulisile Mphambukeli
thulisile-mphambukeli@yahoo.com

I love the smoky flavor that the chorizo adds to this paella. It's the perfect balance to the delicate flavors of the seafood and chicken.


Steve Strohm
ss75@yahoo.com

This paella is a bit time-consuming to make, but it's definitely worth the effort. It's a delicious and authentic dish that will transport you to Spain.


Miley Dohnahue
d_m30@gmail.com

I've made this paella several times now, and it's always a hit. The flavors are incredible, and the rice is cooked to perfection.


Wolfy
wolfy1@hotmail.fr

This paella is the perfect dish for a special occasion. It's elegant and delicious, and it's sure to impress your guests.


Shahwas Khan
shahwas.k66@hotmail.fr

I'm not a huge fan of seafood, but I really enjoyed this paella. The chicken and chorizo were so flavorful that they made up for the seafood.


Banuso Moridiyah
moridiyahbanuso@aol.com

This paella is a great way to use up leftover chicken and seafood. It's also a very affordable dish to make.


John Lyons
j-l59@yahoo.com

I love the vibrant colors of this paella. It's such a beautiful dish to serve at a party.


Pancho Villa
villa78@gmail.com

This paella was a bit too spicy for my taste, but I know that's a personal preference. Other than that, it was a delicious and authentic dish.


zaeblii
zaeblii39@gmail.com

The instructions for this recipe were a bit confusing at times, but I was able to figure it out. The paella was delicious, but I think I'll try a different recipe next time.


Ugwu Igwe
u55@yahoo.com

I've never made paella before, but this recipe made it easy. It was a lot of fun to cook, and the paella turned out great!


Navdeep Kumar
navdeep.kumar14@hotmail.com

This paella is definitely a labor of love, but it's so worth it. The end result is a stunning and delicious dish that will impress your guests.


Oakley
oakley@gmail.com

I had some trouble finding all of the ingredients for this recipe, but it was worth the effort. The paella turned out amazing!


Malika Rahimi
rahimimalika@gmail.com

The saffron rice was a bit too overpowering for my taste. I think I would use less of it next time.


Christian G
christian_g28@yahoo.com

I love that this recipe uses both chicken and shellfish. It gives the paella a really nice balance of flavors. The chorizo also adds a great smoky flavor.


Adeel sidhu
sidhu.a18@aol.com

This is the best paella I've ever had! The flavors were so rich and complex, and the seafood was cooked perfectly. I will definitely be making this again!


Arya Zahedikia
a-z@gmail.com

I've made this paella recipe several times now, and it's always a hit with my family and friends. The instructions are clear and easy to follow, and the end result is a delicious and authentic paella that tastes like it came straight from a Spanish r


Krishna Qumal
krishna@yahoo.com

This paella was an absolute delight! The combination of tender chicken, succulent shellfish, and flavorful chorizo was simply divine. The saffron rice was cooked to perfection, and the green peas added a delightful pop of color and freshness. Each bi