Spanish Arroz con Pollo with Saffron, Roasted Peppers and Manzanilla Olives

Ingredients

• 3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
• 2 cups short-grain paella rice (Bomba or Calasparra)
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 roasted red peppers (from a jar), sliced into strips
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken stock, warm
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 tsp saffron threads, crumbled into 2 tbsp warm water
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 cup Manzanilla green olives, pitted
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

1. Pat chicken dry and season generously with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Heat olive oil in a wide, deep paella pan or skillet over high heat. Sear chicken skin-side down 5-6 minutes until deeply golden. Flip, cook 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
2. Reduce heat to medium. In the same pan, sauté onion in remaining fat for 8 minutes until golden and soft. Add garlic and sweet paprika, cook 1 minute more.
3. Add white wine and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom — this is pure flavor. Cook until wine is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
4. Stir in diced tomatoes and cook 5 minutes until thickened. Add rice and stir to coat every grain in the tomato mixture.
5. Pour in warm chicken stock and saffron water. Stir once to distribute, then do not stir again — this is the secret to a proper socarrat (crispy bottom crust).
6. Nestle the seared chicken pieces into the rice. Scatter roasted pepper strips and olives over the top. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
7. Cover with foil and cook 20-22 minutes until rice has absorbed all the liquid and chicken is cooked through. Rest 5 minutes. Finish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.