When I was growing up, chicken and rice was a common meal. Rice was mixed with water and cream of mushroom soup, chicken pieces were added, and the whole dish was covered and baked for an hour. At my house today, the ubiquitous chicken and rice dinner is often something more exotic or elegant.
Paella is a traditional Spanish rice dish. Saffron-scented rice is cooked with chicken, sausage and seafood. Cooked in a special paella pan, the dish is a spectacular presentation of culinary skill. I’ve taken the basic idea and created a quick and easy version that packs great flavor without requiring a lot of preparation time or a special pan.
Using packaged rice mix saves time while giving the dish a nice flavor. To cut preparation time further, purchase frozen chopped onion and bell peppers. For dishes like this one, the difference in quality isn’t noticeable in the final meal. Canned, diced tomatoes are also used to take advantage of another great convenience product.
Serve your paella with a simple green salad tossed with your favorite vinaigrette. Sliced pineapple, kiwi and other fruits topped with vanilla yogurt would be a nice, light dessert.
Drain chicken strips over a bowl and reserve the marinade. Add chicken to sausage and vegetables, stirring until chicken begins to brown. Stir in tomatoes, rice mix, 1 cup of chicken broth, and reserved marinade. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until rice is almost tender. Stir occasionally, adding more chicken broth as necessary to keep rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Stir in frozen peas and shrimp. Cover and continue cooking until shrimp is cooked, about 5 minutes more. Serve immediately.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
