Easy Paella

Being a bit of a fan of rice dishes (plain boiled rice excepted), I will give any risotto, fried rice, paella or pilaf a go. And if it’s quick and easy to make, then it moves to the top of the list with a gold star for “well done, you are so the teacher’s pet”.

This wonderful recipe is from the equally wonderful taste.com.au website. Just type in an ingredient or recipe name and it comes up with a range of recipes from magazines such as delicious, Super Food Ideas (lots of ‘bakes’) and Good Taste. As you know, I am on a self-imposed mag-buying ban (with a couple of, ahem, exceptions), so getting my recipe fix online is brilliant. And it gets better – there is no seafood in this paella, so for those with a suspected shellfish allergy, there is one less thing to worry about. So put down that hard-copy of the latest food mag and that pack of antihistamines and get cooking.

Easy Paella

serves 4

Ingredients

4 chicken thigh fillets, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp harissa
1 tsp smoked paprika (pimenton)
1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 cup Calasparra or arborio rice
1/2 cup (125ml) dry white wine
pinch of saffron threads, soaked in 1/4 cup water
2 cups (500ml) gluten-free chicken stock
1/2 cup (60g) frozen peas
80g roasted capsicum (from a jar), drained, chopped
1/2 cup black olives, pitted
2 tblsp chopped flat-leaf parsley or chives
Lemon to serve


Method
1. Combine chicken, garlic, lemon zest, harissa, paprika and oil in a bowl. Place in fridge to marinate for 15 minutes. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until golden. Remove chicken and set aside.
2. Add a little oil to pan, if necessary, then add onion and cook, stirring, over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add rice, then stir for 1 minute to coat rice in onion mixture.
3. Add the wine and allow to bubble for 2-3 minutes, then add saffron (with liquid) and stock, and bring to the boil. Return chicken to the pan, season, then simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until rice is almost cooked and most of the stock is absorbed. Stir in peas, capsicum and olives. Cook for a further 2 minutes until rice is tender and all the stock is absorbed. Stir through parsley or chives, then serve with lemon wedges.
recipe adapted from taste.com.au

Ingredients, including harissa, lemon, onion, garlic, rice, olives, saffron, capsicum, frozen peas.

The chicken (not shown) is marinated in garlic, harissa and paprika which makes it delicious.

The saffron adds quite a nice hue to the rice, as well as a subtle flavour.

And the kitchen smells mouth-wateringly good while the rice is cooking.

This is a new favourite - looks good, so easy to prepare and tastes divine.