Week Night Paella

We love paella, and we usually have to  wait for a weekend with nothing to do but work through all the steps to make a proper batch.  We came across a recipe while watching one of our favorite food shows – Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street.  We learned so much about the origins of paella, and the regional variations from their article.  But most importantly, their chefs came up with basically a one-pot meal which can be made in less than an hour.

We’ve modified the recipe so that you can use our Serious Foodie Spanish kit, which contains rice and seasonings that will make this your new go-to Spanish comfort food meal.  We’ve also changed a few ingredients, adding chorizo and shrimp, and eliminating cannellini beans.

Print Recipe

Week Night Paella

This version of the Spanish classic is easy to make using the Serious Foodie Spanish kit.

Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:

Rate this recipe!

Cuisine

Spanish

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Passive Time

30 minutes

Servings

people MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

• 1 package Serious Foodie Spanish blend Available only in the Serious Foodie Spanish kit
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs patted dry, trimmed, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 12-18 large shrimp deveined, shelled
• 4 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
• 4 medium cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
• 8 ounces fresh green beans trimmed, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 6 ounces chorizo Cut into 1/4 pieces. Use a high quality Spanish brand if available. Boarshead Superiore will work
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth Pacific brand is our favorite.
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary (optional) minced
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads (optional)
• 1 package Vigo Yellow Rice Available in the Serious Foodie Spanish kit
• 1/2 cup Serious Foodie Romesco Sauce Available in the Serious Foodie Spanish kit
• Salt and Pepper To taste

Cuisine Spanish Prep Time 20 minutes Cook Time 20 minutes Passive Time 30 minutes Servings people MetricUS Imperial Ingredients 1 package Serious Foodie Spanish blend Available only in the Serious Foodie Spanish kit 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs patted dry, trimmed, cut into 1 inch pieces 12-18 large shrimp deveined, shelled 4 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil 4 medium cloves garlic minced 1 tablespoons tomato paste 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved 8 ounces fresh green beans trimmed, cut into 1 inch pieces 6 ounces chorizo Cut into 1/4 pieces. Use a high quality Spanish brand if available. Boarshead Superiore will work 1/4 cup dry sherry 3 cups low sodium chicken broth Pacific brand is our favorite. 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary (optional) minced 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads (optional) 1 package Vigo Yellow Rice Available in the Serious Foodie Spanish kit 1/2 cup Serious Foodie Romesco Sauce Available in the Serious Foodie Spanish kit Salt and Pepper To taste

Votes: 0 Rating: 0 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

1. Place the chicken and shrimp in a glass bowl, then toss with about one half of the Serious Foodie Spanish spice blend (about 3 tablespoons). Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. In a nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons of oil until barely smoking. Add the chicken and shrimp in an even layer and cook on both sides until well-browned, about 3 minutes.
3. Add in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. After 1 minute, add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the mixture is beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and 1 tablespoon Serious Foodie Spanish spice blend, then cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the sherry and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture begins to sizzle, 2 to 4 minutes.
4. Add in the tomatoes, the green beans and the chorizo, and stir to coat everything. Add the sherry and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture begins to sizzle, 2 to 4 minutes.
5. Stir in the broth, rosemary and saffron (if using), then bring to a boil over medium-high. Sprinkle the rice into the pot, and stir to combine completely. Return to a boil, then lower the temperature to medium. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Cover for 5 minutes. Uncover, then increase to medium-high and continue to cook, without stirring but rotating the pan every 10 seconds or so, until you hear sizzling and smell a toasty aroma, 1 to 2 minutes. Do not stir.
6. Drape a clean kitchen towel across the top, then cover with a lid and let rest for 10 minutes. Use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to scoop the paella onto individual plates, scraping along the pan to loosen the bottom crust (socarrat). Serve with the Serious Foodie Romesco sauce on the side.

Recipe Notes

To quote the Milk Street recipe, "Don't forget to stir in the rice after sprinkling it into the pan. Distributing the grains in an even layer and making sure they're submerged ensures even cooking. But after that, resist the urge to stir. Undisturbed cooking allows the paella to form a nicely browned bottom crust called socarrat."