Paella is a great meal to make when you may not think you’ll have time to cook multiple days during the week for dinner or if you enjoy having leftovers around for people who tend to eat a lot or are always hungry (cough, cough -> points at Jeff) :) Or you know, if you just like Paella.
I refer to this recipe as Big Ass Chicken… because I cooked the meat as it came and did not chop, slice or cut it any smaller. Feel free to change things up with the recipe and make yours a small ass chicken paella instead. :)
When we went to Barcellona we got our taste of real Paella and there’s so many different combinations to be made. I’m excited to change it up and try a few different varieties.
Big Ass Chicken and Jumbo Shrimp Paella Adapted from Everyday Food, May 2008
Ingredients
- 4 skinless chicken thighs, plus 2 big-ass chicken breasts
- sea salt and coarse ground black pepper, to taste
- your choice of fat: olive oil, grassfed butter, ghee, etc.
- 1 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced
- 1 link beef chorizo
- 1/2 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
- 1 cup Arborio rice OR *1 head of cauliflower, shredded
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth
- 10 ounces frozen peas
- 1/2 pound jumbo shrimp, thawed, peeled and deveined frozen
Directions Makes 4-6 servings
- Season chicken with salt and pepper.
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat your choice of fat (I used ghee) over medium-high heat.
- Working in batches, cook chicken (be sure not to overlap the chicken in the pot) until browned, 7 to 8 minutes, turning once.
- While chicken is cooking in a pot, cook the chorizo in a small pan on medium-high. Be sure to break up the meat and stir occasionally.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate (reserve pot); set aside.
- Place bell pepper, chorizo, onion, garlic, and tomatoes (with their juice) in pot; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has pretty much evaporated, 5-7 minutes.
- Add rice*; cook, stirring, until translucent around edges, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add broth and chicken; bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer; cover and cook until rice* begins to soften, about 10 minutes. Be sure to pay close attention so it doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pot.
- Add peas and shrimp, submerging them in liquid. Cover and cook until shrimp are opaque throughout, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Enjoy! :)
This recipe is Gluten-Free, Primal, Sugar-Free
To make this recipe Paleo use cauliflower rice instead of Arborio rice. To make cauliflower rice throw a head of cauliflower in the food processor using the shredding attachment and you’re set.
To make this recipe Paleo use cauliflower rice instead of Arborio rice. To make cauliflower rice throw a head of cauliflower in the food processor using the shredding attachment and you’re set.