Summer Veggie & Chicken Paella

One-Pot GF Perfection for the Whole Family

Far too many times after dinner, I find myself in a kitchen that requires WAY too much cleaning. Despite my best efforts, there are multiple pots to clean, and it’s just a pain. I jump at the chance anytime I can use a sheet pan, single pot or instant pot. It makes life so much easier.

But what about in the warmer months? Enter, Paella! Comforting and hearty, but light and bright, with fresh herbs and lemon. Plus, it’s endlessly customizable (my favorite). You can incorporate any meat or seafood you want or make it vegan! It’s like risotto (which we also love) but the biggest difference is there’s little to no stirring. Paella purists *might* not love this recipe because, as much as I would love to perfect my sofrito and socarrat, we are focused on getting dinner on the table ASAP. We’ll be using the oven for this kid-friendly version of veggie & chicken paella - packed with flavor of course!

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 bell peppers, seeded and small dice
1/2 cup parsley, chopped (1 tablespoon set aside for garnish)
1/2 cup frozen peas (if tolerated or specifically labeled GF)
1 cup cherry or roma tomatoes, chopped
2 cups paella rice (I used Matiz. You can also use arborio or medium grain rice)
4 cups chicken broth
1 pound boneless chicken, cubed raw (pick your favorite cut. I used both thighs and tenders. Breast would be great too.)
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of saffron, if you have it
Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Add 3 tablespoons olive oil to large sauté pan, and add 1 diced onion, 2 seeded and diced peppers, and 3 minced garlic cloves and sauté until translucent (5-7 minutes).

Add 1 pound chicken cubes, 1 cup tomato (halved if cherry, diced if roma), 1/2 cup chopped parsley minus the garnish amount, 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, one pinch saffron, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and a pinch of pepper. Fully mix and add 2 cups paella rice. Mix again, making sure both the rice and chicken cubes are coated in oil and spices from the vegetables, and cook for two minutes.

Add 4 cups chicken broth and jiggle the pan to evenly distribute the liquid over the chicken, rice and veggies. Bring to a bubbling simmer, then pop in the oven for 15 minutes (no need to stir).

After 15 minutes, add 1/2 cup frozen peas, if using. You can also place seafood (such as shrimp) on top of the paella at this time, if using. Bake for another 15 min. If you feel strongly about socarrat (the burnt/caramelized rice on the bottom of the paella when we cook it), you can continue to bake, checking in increments of 5 minutes to make sure your dish isn’t burning!

Garnish your paella with the remaining parsley and lemon wedges, squeeze some fresh lemon juice before serving, and enjoy!