Description

This great seafood and chicken paella recipe can stand on its own, or you can serve it alongside some steamed clams. Don't forget the red wine!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium zucchini, quartered and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, or more to taste
• 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice
• 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup water, or as needed
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon saffron
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweet peas
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ½ pound chorizo
• 4 chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• ½ red bell pepper, diced
• ½ green bell pepper, diced
• 2 serrano peppers, thinly sliced
• 1 small yellow onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 pound shrimp
• ½ pound bay scallops
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add zucchini and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add shallot and cook until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until very lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add rice and toast about 1 minute. Add canned tomatoes, mix well, and cook for 1 minute. Add water, chili powder, cumin, saffron, salt, and black pepper. Mix well. Add bay leaf. Cover the saucepan and cook until rice is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Add 1/4 can of peas to cooked rice mixture and mix well. Partially cover saucepan to allow steam to release and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large paella pan over medium heat. Add chorizo; cook and stir until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Move cooked chorizo to the outside of the pan. Add chicken and cook until mostly cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. While chicken is cooking, add bell peppers, serrano peppers, onion, and diced tomato. Move cooked chicken to the outside of the pan.
4. Add shrimp to the paella pan. Add a small amount of water if there is not enough moisture in the pan. Cook shrimp 2 minutes per side. Add scallops and cook 2 minutes more.
5. Reduce heat under the paella pan to medium-low. Mix all ingredients in the pan together in a triumphant manner, forming a glorious mixture. Add finished rice in a layer on top of the mixture in the paella pan. Continue cooking 2 to 4 minutes more, until all meat, chicken, and seafood have been cooked through. Add avocado and cilantro, mix together, and serve.