Quinoa Paella Recipes

CHICKEN AND QUINOA PAELLA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bring chicken stock and bay leaves to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer while preparing the other ingredients. Taste stock; it should taste a little over-salted. Season with 1 to 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper as needed.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper.
• Squeeze out seeds from each tomato half over a sieve and into a bowl. Reserve the juice and discard the seeds. Grate the cut sides of the tomatoes over a bowl through the large holes of a box grater. Discard the skin. Combine the tomato juice and the grated pulp.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes and coat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add chicken in batches, in a single layer with space between pieces. Saute until meat is mostly opaque, about 4 minutes; it will continue cooking in the oven. Place chicken in a 9x13-inch baking pan. Repeat with the remaining chicken, being careful not to burn the fats rendering in the skillet.
• Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the same skillet. Add the tomato juice-pulp mixture. Cook, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of skillet, until juices are mostly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and paprika. Mix well. Add onions and garlic; saute until is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir the mixture, called a sofrito, into the baking pan with the chicken.
• Heat the last tablespoon of olive oil in the hot skillet. Add green beans and saute for 1 minute. Add bell peppers; saute until green beans are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes more. Transfer mixture to the baking pan and stir well; mix in quinoa and saffron.
• Remove and discard bay leaves from stock and bring to a boil. Pour 1/2 into the baking pan. Mix carefully until well combined. Add remaining stock and stir carefully. Lay rosemary sprigs on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until quinoa is tender yet firm to the bite, 35 to 45 minutes.

QUINOA PAELLA

Steps:

• Cover quinoa with cold water and soak for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat; add the quinoa and cook, stirring, until toasted, for 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Return pan to medium heat. Add oil and chorizo; cook, stirring occasionally to break chorizo into pieces, for about 10 minutes.
• Add garlic, bell peppers, serrano pepper, onion, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in quinoa, both beans, tomatoes, and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook uncovered until liquid is slightly reduced, around 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cover; let sit for 10 minutes.
• Uncover and stir in parsley. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.