Spring Chicken Paella Recipes

SPRING CHICKEN PAELLA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Season the chicken thighs well and then dust all over with the flour. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a paella pan or large, deep frying pan. Fry the thighs until golden brown all over, then transfer to a shallow roasting tin and finish in the oven for 30-40 mins.
• Add the remaining oil, onions and garlic, and fry very gently until soft, about 10-15 mins. Stir in the rice, paprika, saffron and lemon zest, then add the stock and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 mins on a medium heat until the rice is nearly cooked.
• Add the peas, broad beans and juice of 1 lemon until the rice is just cooked through, along with the veg. Stir through the herbs and as much of the remaining lemon juice as it needs, along with some seasoning. Tuck the chicken thighs back in and cover for 5 mins to let everything settle before serving.

CHICKEN PAELLA WITH SHERRY VINEGAR

Steps:

• Pre-heat your oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas Mark 5.
• In a medium size paella pan (34cm diameter) or a large shallow casserole dish, heat one tablespoon of the oil. Once hot, add the chicken pieces and fry for about 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside. Allow the paella pan to cool down for a couple of minutes.
• While the pan is cooling down, in a small frying pan, gently toast on some tin foil the saffron threads for about 30 seconds, be careful not to burn them. This will release the essential oils within the saffron threads. Pour the saffron threads into a pestle and mortar and pound them until you obtain a fine powder. Pour 2 tablespoons of the hot chicken stock and mix well. The saffron powder will blend better into the hot liquid, so when you pour it into the paella rice, the saffron liquid will spread evenly.
• Add the remaining olive oil to the paella pan and gently fry the chopped garlic and spring onions until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the paella rice and stir for a few minutes on a gentle heat until the rice is slightly translucent. Return the fried pieces of chicken and mix well. Add the sherry vinegar, stir and allow the vinegar to reduce and completely evaporate. Add the smoked paprika and stir the rice for 30 seconds, followed by the tomato sofrito. Once the tomato sauce has cooked into the rice, pour in the hot chicken stock, followed by the saffron infused stock. Season with salt and spread the rice out evenly to cover the bottom of the paella pan. Bring to the boil. If you have a timer, set it to 17 minutes. The first 5 minutes, cook the paella on a very high heat until the rice rises to the surface. Check the stock for seasoning and add some more salt if necessary. Add the blanched broad beans, stir the rice and place the pan in the oven. After 12 minutes, remove the pan from the oven.
• Allow the paella to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

CHICKEN PAELLA

Steps:

• In a large deep non-stick skillet, or a paella pan with cover, warm olive oil over medium-high heat.
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper on all sides.
• Add the chicken, and brown on all sides.
• Remove chicken; set aside.
• Add in the onion and garlic, saute until translucent.
• Stir in the rice, cook for 1 minute.
• Add in tomatoes, chicken broth, capers and the cayenne pepper.
• Press chicken pieces down into the liquid.
• Cover the pan, and bring the liquid to a slow simmer; reduce the heat to very low.
• Cook until the rice is tender (about 30-40 minutes).
• Top with olives and peas; stir very gently.
• Arrange the pepper strips on top of the paella.
• Cover the pan again, cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the peas are hot.

SPRING CHICKEN PAELLA

Steps:

• Begin by cooking basmati rice according to packet instructions.
• Next heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and cook for 4 minutes, or until softened.
• Add chicken to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, tossing regularly until browned all over (the chicken will finish cooking later).
• Next add in the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and turmeric and stir through for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
• Add in the diced tomatoes, asparagus, and cooked basmati rice and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender and the liquid has reduced slightly.
• Stir through peas, baby spinach leaves and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper for 1 minute, or until spinach has wilted and the chicken is ready.
• Add to a bowl and sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley to serve.

CHICKEN & CHORIZO PAELLA

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a deep frying pan over a high heat. Brown the chicken all over - don't cook completely. Once browned, transfer to a plate.
• Reduce the heat to low, add the onions and cook slowly until softened, about 10 mins. Add the garlic, stir for 1 min, then toss in the chorizo and fry until it releases its oils.
• Stir in the spices, then tip in the rice. Stir to coat the rice in the oils and spices for about 2 mins, then pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, return the chicken to the pan and simmer for about 20 mins, stirring occasionally.
• Add the peas to the pan and simmer for a further 5 mins until the rice is cooked and the chicken is tender. Season well and serve with the lemon and parsley.