Known as the most popular dish in Spain, Paella (pronounced pie-ay-ya) is a dish from the Valencia region and is often referred to as the “national dish of Spain.”
But the draw-back for most of us is that although paella is delicious, it can be too pricey for many of us. The ingredient that gives this rice dish its unique flavor is saffron, but saffron comes with a high price tag. It runs about $200 an ounce. Ouch! My version uses turmeric which has a similar flavor to saffron but comes in at about $2.00 an ounce. That’s more like it!
I also like the fact that paella is an easy, one-dish meal!
Here is what you will need:
1 large onion, chopped
1 T. olive oil
1 tsp. fresh minced garlic
4 c. chicken broth
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1/4 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. salt
2 c. uncooked Arborio rice
2 c. chicken, cooked and shredded
8 oz. medium-sized shrimp, uncooked
4 oz. kielbasa, sliced into bite-sized pieces
1 c. frozen green peas
1 jar (4 oz) diced pimientos, drained
DIRECTIONS: After preparing all of your ingredients, heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the chopped onion and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent.
Add the kielbasa, turmeric, thyme, and salt.
Add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil then add the uncooked rice, chicken, shrimp, kielbasa, peas, and pimento.
Reduce heat to low and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.
You can serve this paella alone or with a side salad. Click here for a printable version of this recipe.