Classic paella with chicken and seafood

Ingredients

• 3 tsp paella spices organic
• 300 g paella rice or round grain rice
• 500 g chicken thighs boneless cut into pieces
• 200 g raw peeled scampi
• 300 g mussels
• 750 ml chicken broth or fish broth
• 2 ripe tomatoes coarsely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper in strips
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon in wedges
• 1 tbsp fresh flat parsley
• sea salt
• black pepper

Cook Time

1. 1
   Brown the chicken: Heat 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a wide, heavy pan or paella pan over medium-high heat. Season 500 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into pieces, with salt and pepper and brown the chicken pieces all over. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
2. 2
   Stew vegetables and spices: Brown in the same fat 2 ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped and 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes, until the tomato begins to break down. Add 3 tsp organic paella spices (lofderkruiden.be) and stir well so the spices absorb the oil and release their aroma, about 1 minute.
3. 3
   Add rice: Add 300 g paella rice or short-grain rice to the pan and stir for 1 to 2 minutes so each grain is coated with the spiced oil. Place the chicken back in the pan.
4. 4
   Add broth and cook: Pour 750 ml chicken broth or fish broth all at once over the rice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer without stirring for 15 minutes. Do not stir the paella after adding the broth: this is how the characteristic crispy crust forms on the bottom, the socarrat.
5. 5
   Add seafood: Place 200 g raw peeled scampi and 300 g cleaned mussels on the rice when the broth is half absorbed, after about 10 minutes. Cover the pan with aluminum foil or a lid and let cook for another 8 to 10 minutes until the mussels open and the shrimp turn pink.
6. 6
   Rest and serve: Remove the pan from heat and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes with the foil on. Discard any mussels that remain closed. Serve with wedges of 1 lemon, and 1 tbsp fresh flat parsley, coarsely chopped sprinkled on top.
7. 7
   Socarrat: the crispy rice crust on the bottom is the sign of a well-prepared paella. Listen towards the end of cooking time to hear if the rice begins to sizzle: that is the moment when the crust forms. Then let it cook for another 1 to 2 minutes on high heat, but keep a close eye on the pan.
8. 8
   Broth: preferably use homemade light chicken broth or fish broth for more depth. Avoid store-bought broth cubes with lots of salt, as the paella spices contain no salt so you can season to taste.
9. 9
   Rice: paella rice (bomba or calasparra) absorbs more liquid than ordinary short-grain rice and maintains its structure better. Do not use long-grain rice or basmati.
10. 10
    Variation: replace the chicken with rabbit for a more traditional version, or omit the meat for a pure seafood paella. Add a few extra dried marigold petals for a more intense yellow color.