Ingredients:

  • 2 kg (2.6 lbs) Bone-in, skin-on Chicken Thighs (approx. 4 large thighs)
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) Olive Oil (plus extra for searing)
  • 1 tsp (5g) Kosher Salt (plus more to taste)
  • ½ tsp (2g) Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 medium Yellow Onion, finely diced
  • 1 medium Red Bell Pepper, finely diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp (10g) Tomato Paste
  • 2 tsp (10g) Smoked Paprika (Pimentón de la Vera)
  • ¼ tsp (0.5g) Saffron Threads
  • 1 large Bay Leaf
  • 300g (1 ½ cups) Spanish Short-Grain Rice (Bomba is ideal)
  • 850 ml (3 ½ cups) Low-Sodium Chicken Stock (warm is best)
  • ½ tsp (3g) Salt
  • 100g (½ cup) Frozen Peas (defrosted)
  • 50g (¼ cup) Sliced Pimentos (from a jar, drained)
  • 2 tbsp (10g) Fresh Parsley, chopped (for garnish)
  • 1 wedge Lemon, per serving (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Prepare Chicken: Pat chicken thighs thoroughly dry. Season generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Sear Chicken: Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place chicken skin-side down and sear for 5–7 minutes until deeply golden and crisp.
  3. Remove: Flip chicken and sear for 2 minutes on the reverse side. Remove chicken and set aside, leaving rendered fat in the pan.
  4. Sauté Vegetables: Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion and red bell pepper to the pan. Sauté gently for 8–10 minutes until softened and translucent (do not brown). This forms your sofrito base.
  5. Add Aromatics: Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  6. Bloom Spices: Stir in the tomato paste and smoked paprika. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the spices are highly fragrant.
  7. Toast Rice: Add the short-grain rice to the sofrito mixture. Stir well to coat every grain in the oil and spices. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the edges of the grains become translucent.
  8. Add Liquid and Seasoning: Pour in the warmed chicken stock. Add the saffron threads, bay leaf, and ½ tsp salt. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  9. Nestle Chicken: Bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat immediately to the lowest setting. Nestle the seared chicken pieces back into the rice mixture (skin side up).
  10. Simmer (The Crucial Stage): Cover the pan tightly with the lid. Simmer undisturbed for 20 minutes. Do not stir.
  11. Check and Finish: After 20 minutes, remove the lid. If the liquid is mostly absorbed, continue. If the rice on top still looks hard, cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
  12. Add Garnish: Scatter the defrosted peas and sliced pimentos over the top. Recover the pan and remove it completely from the heat.
  13. Rest: Let the dish rest, covered, for 10 minutes. This allows the rice to steam thoroughly and the socarrat (crispy bottom) to form.
  14. Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve directly from the pan, allowing guests to scrape up the crispy bottom layer.