Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs (1.4 kg) Bone-in, Skin-on Chicken Thighs
  • 1 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
  • 2 Tbsp (30 ml) Olive Oil
  • 1 large Yellow Onion, finely chopped
  • 1 large Red Bell Pepper, diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 5 oz (411g) can Diced Tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) Sweet Smoked Paprika (Pimentón)
  • 1/2 tsp Saffron Threads
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) Dry White Wine (optional)
  • 2 cups (400g) Short-Grain Rice (e.g., Calasparra)
  • 4 cups (960 ml) Low-Sodium Chicken Stock, warmed
  • 1 cup (150g) Frozen Peas
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped (for garnish)
  • Lemon wedges (for serving)

Instructions:

  1. Pat chicken thighs thoroughly dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Place saffron threads in 1/4 cup of warm chicken stock or water and set aside to steep.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear chicken thighs, skin-side down, until deeply golden brown (about 5–7 minutes). Remove chicken and set aside, leaving rendered fat in the pan.
  4. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and bell pepper to the fat and sauté until softened (5–7 minutes).
  5. Stir in garlic and smoked paprika. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  6. If using, pour in white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine reduce by half.
  7. Stir in the diced tomatoes and the short-grain rice. Toast the rice for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  8. Pour in the saffron liquid (including the threads) and the remaining warm chicken stock. Stir once to combine all ingredients evenly. Taste the broth and adjust salt if necessary.
  9. Nestle the seared chicken thighs skin-side up into the rice mixture. Ensure the liquid covers the rice but the chicken skin remains mostly above the surface.
  10. Bring the liquid to a vigorous simmer. Immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the skillet tightly, and cook undisturbed for 20 minutes.
  11. Remove the lid. Sprinkle the frozen peas over the top. Cover again and cook for another 5–10 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Do not stir the rice after step 9.
  12. Turn off the heat. Let the dish rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Garnish generously with fresh parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges.