Chicken & Prawn Paella

There are many versions of this classic Spanish dish, and many add in chorizo, peas & mussels, though as I am not a lover of all three, I prefer a simpler version. If you don't have a paella pan you can use a wok as I do. Paella is a tricky dish to get right so don't give up if you don't succeed the first time. Keep on trying!

4 Servings

Ingredients:

Olive oil

2 red peppers, finely sliced

400gr chicken thighs

3 cloves of garlic

1 onion, finely chopped

1tsp thyme

400gr paella rice

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 litre chicken stock

1/2 tsp saffron

1/2 tin chopped tomatoes

200gr raw prawns

2 lemons

2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

Instructions:

Add a generous drizzle of olive to a paella pan or wok & fry the peppers on medium heat for around 8 minutes or until soft. Remove from the pan & set aside.

Add the chicken thighs & whole unpeeled garlic to the pan. Fry for 15 minutes, turning the thighs regularly so that all sides are golden.

While the chicken is cooking prepare 1 litre of chicken stock & add the saffron to the hot stock to release its flavours fully.

Once the chicken has cooked for 15 minutes, remove from the pan & set aside.

Add the thyme & onions to the pan. Fry for 2 minutes until onions begin to soften.

Add the rice, paprika & cayenne pepper. Mix well to coat each grain of rice with spices.

Pour in the stock & add the chopped tomatoes. Mix well before returning the chicken to the pan. Bring to a boil on a medium high heat & allow to cook for 10 minutes, uncovered.

reduce to low heat & continue to cook, uncovered, for 10 more minutes. If the stock dries out too quickly you can add a drizzle of hot chicken stock.

Layer the peppers over the top & the prawns (if they are large prawns, smaller prawns may be added 5 minutes later). Simmer on low 10 minutes. Test the rice. It should be cook but still al dente. Turn off the stove.

Pour the juice of 1/2 a lemon over the top, sprinkle the parsley over the dish & decorate with slices of lemon.

Cover the pan with a clean tea towel for 5 minutes then serve immediately.