Chicken, Shrimp and Chorizo Paella

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This recipe is from Diana and Lisel over at The Jewels of New York. See their recipe or follow the recipe here (with my additions and improvements in red):
Chicken, Shrimp and Chorizo Paella - Serves 6
1 Spanish chorizo sausage, sliced
2 tbsps olive oil
6 chicken thighs
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tomato, diced (The authors never state when to add the tomato in. So I added it when the broth and rice went in. This seemed to me to be the correct time.)
1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp Spanish paprika
3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth (I ended up using 4 cups of broth, because I needed a tad bit more to get the rice completely done.)
1/4 tsp saffron threads, crumbled
1 1/2 cups Arborio or other short grain rice
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
1) Season chicken with salt, pepper and a light dusting of paprika.
2) In a large paella pan (I don't have a Paella pan, but I do have a flat-bottomed wok. So I went with that and it turned out great), heat oil over medium high heat. Saute chorizo until browned and edges curl. Remove and reserve for later use. In the same pan, add chicken and brown skin side down until crispy but not cooked through. Reserve to the side.
3) Over medium heat, saute onions, garlic and parsley until golden and soft (I have found that sauteing onion, garlic and herbs together makes for dark brown, if not burnt garlic and herbs. So, I sauteed the onions by themselves for awhile and then added in the garlic and herbs.) Combine rice and broth (I went with 4 cups) into mixture. (I also added the tomato in at this point.) Bring to a boil. Salt and pepper to taste and add crumbled saffron.
4) Add chicken, chorizo and shrimp and continue to simmer without stirring until the liquid has evaporated and the rice is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Cover with foil to ensure all rice cooks through. (I turned the heat down low for this. Basically you are letting steam finish the rice.) Finish paella by turning up the heat during the last bit of cooking, this gives a nice toasted rice bottom to the dish. (Letting the rice steam for about 10 minutes developed the crusty bottom to the rice.) Let the dish rest for about 5-10 minutes before serving.  Stir in peas and garnish with more parsley and lemon wedges.
Nutritional Information:
6 servings
Amount per serving: 
Calories:           325.5                   
Fat:                     12.9g
Carbs:                 16.9g
Fiber                     1.2g          
Protein:               33.9g 
Weight Watchers Points Plus Value: 8
Thoughts: This was really good. Flavorful, spicy and smelled wonderful while cooking. It reminded me a lot of cooking Gumbo. I served this with a side of broccoli and the dinner was enjoyed by all. This recipe deserved 5 yummy pins!
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back for another visit sometime soon. - Lynn


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