Name: Valencian Paella with Chicken and Jamón
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 1 pot
Ingredients: 2 pcs chicken thighs; 100 g jamón; 320 g risotto rice; 200 g canned green beans; 2 pcs tomatoes; 3 cloves garlic; 1 teaspoon sweet paprika; 1 sprig rosemary; parsley; olive oil; salt; ground pepper; 900 ml poultry stock; 1 pinch saffron; 1 pc lemon

Step by step process

Preparation

1
Heat the chicken broth almost to a boil, add the saffron and let it steep for 10 minutes to release its color and aroma.
2
Trim the chicken thighs, cut into large bite-sized pieces, season with salt and pepper. Dice the jamón serrano into small cubes.
3
Remove strings from the green beans and cut them into 3-4 cm pieces. Grate the tomatoes on a coarse grater (discard the skins), finely chop the garlic.

Cooking

4
Heat olive oil in a wide pan or paella pan over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken pieces on all sides until golden (6-8 minutes) to develop color and seal in juices.
TIP:
Do not overcrowd the wok or pan. Sear the meat in smaller batches over high heat so it sears quickly, does not release too much juice, and develops a rich flavor and color instead of steaming.
5
Add the chopped jamón serrano and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add green beans and sauté for another 2-3 minutes until softened and coated in fat.
6
Reduce the heat to medium, add the chopped garlic and grated tomatoes. Briefly cook down until thickened. Stir in the sweet paprika and mix quickly so it doesn't burn.
7
Add the rice, coat thoroughly with the base, and spread it in an even layer. Pour over the hot saffron broth so the rice is submerged. Place a sprig of rosemary on top.
TIP:
When cooking rice, always pour hot broth evenly so that the rice cooks properly and achieves the ideal texture without interrupting the boiling.
8
Cook uncovered without stirring at a gentle boil for 15-18 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. At the end, you can increase the heat for half a minute to create a thin crispy socarrat layer on the bottom. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
TIP:
Cook rice for risotto or paella without stirring to form a crispy texture at the bottom. At the end, briefly increase the heat to create a golden socarrat layer.

Serving

9
Remove the rosemary sprig, sprinkle the surface with finely chopped parsley and serve. On each plate, add lemon wedges for guests to squeeze as desired.