Chicken Paella
1 pack of boneless chicken thighs, cut into pieces (8-10 thighs)
3 tsp olive oil (1 tsp used at a time)
1 small onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tin diced tomatoes (200 g)
1/2 tsp coarse salt, e.g., Maldon salt
1-2 tsp paprika, can be smoked paprika
A pinch of saffron
1/2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
A small pinch of ground cloves
350 g arborio rice
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 dl frozen green peas
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1 liter chicken broth, brought to a boil (simplest method is to dissolve two cubes in boiling water from a kettle)
Note: The type of rice traditionally used for paella is called Bomba, but arborio rice can be used instead.
Start by cutting half of the red pepper into strips and the other half into small pieces. Finely chop the onion and garlic, and cut the chicken into large pieces.
Fry the red pepper strips in 1 tsp of oil for a few minutes. Set the strips aside to use later.
Add another 1 tsp of oil to the pan and fry the chicken.
Once the chicken is cooked through, add the final teaspoon of oil to the pan and sauté the onion, pepper pieces, and garlic for 1 minute to soften the vegetables.
Add the tomatoes, spices, and cornflour, and fry for another 2-3 minutes, adding a little water if necessary.
Pour the chicken broth into the pan and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat, and add the rice and green peas. Spread the rice evenly over the pan, as the dish should not be stirred again until it’s ready to serve.
Cook the rice over low heat for 20-25 minutes. Then turn off the heat, arrange the fried pepper strips on top of the dish, cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil, and let the dish sit for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Arrange lemon wedges on top of the dish so that each person can squeeze lemon juice over the paella to taste.