Doable, Delicious Paella

Here's another one-dish recipe

Paella, the classic Spanish seafood, sausage, and rice dish, is guaranteed fun. Since there's such a variety of ingredients - sausage, chicken, shrimp, and scallops - this dish works well when you don't know your crowd's taste. You've got lots of latitude.

1 lb (about 4 medium) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1-1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 oz cooked chorizo or linguica sausages, sliced diagonally 1/2-inch thick
1 spanish onion, choppd
1/2 large red bell peppers, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and mashed
1-1/2 cups short- or medium- grain rice
Pinch saffron threads
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cups chicken broth
1 can (14.5 oz) petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 lb (16-20 count) peeled and deveined shrimp, preferable wild
1/2 lb bay scallops
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Drizzle chicken with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with paprika, oregano and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper; toss to coat.

Heat a large (11- to 12-inch) deep skillet over medium-high heat. When wisps of smoke start to rise from the pan, add chicken and cook until brown and just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a small bowl.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and sausages and cook until well browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook until tender, about 4 minutes longer. Stir in rice, saffron, and pepper flakes.

Add broth and tomatoes and continue cooking over medium-high heat until liquid simmers. Reduce heat to low, cover with lid or heavy-duty foil, and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Stir in chicken, shrimp, scallops and their juices, peas, and parsley and cook until seafood is cooked through, about 5 minutes longer. Turn off heat and let stand, covered, for a few minutes. Serve straight from the pan or transfer to a large platter, arranging seafood and chicken as desired.

Serves 6.

Cook's Note:
Although the ingredient list may look daunting, paella can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead to the point of adding the rice. near dinner, stir in the rice, saffron, pepper flakes, broth, and tomatoes and cook, covered for, 20 unattended minutes. Stir in the shrimps, scallops, peas, and parsley and steam for a few minutes until the seafood is just cooked. (If serving this at a sit-down dinner, simply stir in the seafood as guests begin their salad.) Leftovers make a great lunch or dinner.