Make Chicken Paella in Under an Hour

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 0.5 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 (6 ounce) skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs, divided
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1.5 cups chopped yellow onion
• 1.5 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1.5 cups uncooked Bomba rice
• 0.33 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups unsalted chicken stock
• 2 cups frozen green peas
• 1 red bell pepper, torn into pieces
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Lemon wedges

Instructions

1. Stir together lemon rind, juice and saffron in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Heat oil in a 13- to 15-inch paella pan or skillet with lid over medium-high. Sprinkle chicken with black pepper and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Add 4 chicken thighs to pan; cook, skin side down, until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Turn chicken over; cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate; repeat with remaining 4 chicken thighs. Add onion, thyme and garlic to pan; cook, stirring often, 4 minutes. Add rice; cook, stirring often, 2 minutes. Add wine; cook until reduced by about half, about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice mixture, stock and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Nestle chicken, skin side up, into rice. Cover and reduce heat to medium; simmer until rice is just al dente, about 18 minutes. Uncover pan.
3. Add peas and red pepper pieces. Increase heat to medium-high; cook until rice begins to brown on the bottom and edges of pan, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with parsley; serve with lemon wedges.