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It is cold, wet, raining, windy, and just plain nasty outside.  Definitely turn-on-the-oven weather.

My thought process last night was a Chinese sweet and sour with chicken.  This morning, it was Mexican.  By the time I goit through, it was Spanish Paella!  This is one of the many reasons why I like having a well-stocked kitchen.  My mood changes and the same chicken that would have been a stirfry or enchiladas becomes paella without having to go to the store!

The recipe was really simple to put together, too!

Chicken, Sausage, and Shrimp Paella

  • 2 boneless chicken breasts
  • 2 links smoked chorizo
  • 1 lb jumbo shrimp
  • 2 cups arborio rice
  • 1 onion
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup peas
  • 1 cup Spanish Manzanilla olives stuffed with pimento
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • large pinch saffron
  • 1 tsp smoked Spanish paprika
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350°.  Use a paella pan or a deep skillet with a lid…

Saute diced onion in olive oil (a nice, fruity, Spanish olive oil worked well for me) until transluscent.  Add diced chicken and diced chorizo and cook through.

Add rice and cook for a few minutes.  Add the spices, and then add wine and cook for a moment.  Add diced tomatoes with their juice.  Bring to a boil and scrape up the browned bits in the pan.

Add peas and the broth and bring to a boil.

Cover, and put into oven for about 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and add shrimp and olives.

Cover and return to oven for about 10 minutes.

Enjoy.

It’s really simple – a one-pot meal that will feed an army!  The ingredients can be altered,changed, substituted… It can really be a great clean-out-the-refrigerator dish!

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Have fun with it!