CHICKEN AND BACON PAELLA
Paella is typically made with chorizo sausages, seafood and chicken. In this more affordable version, we combined bacon and chicken fillets with smoked paprika and tomato, for those well-known Spanish flavours. Few other units will be as perfect for this cooking method than our 30 cm Gourmet Paella.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4–6
200 g back bacon, cut into thick strips, excess fat removed
15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
2-3 leeks, halved and thinly sliced
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 red or green pepper, seeded and cubed
250 ml (1 cup) uncooked brown basmati rice or ordinary white rice
375 ml (1½ cups) vegetable or chicken stock or white wine
1 x 410 g tin chopped tomatoes
1 bay leaf
5 ml (1 tsp) smoked paprika, or 10 ml (2 tsp) ordinary paprika
4-6 chicken fillets, sliced
250 ml (1 cup) frozen peas, rinsed
1 large lemon, cut into wedges (optional) lemon juice, salt and black pepper to taste
45 ml (3 tbsp) chopped fresh Italian parsley
METHOD
- Heat our 30 cm Gourmet Paella over a medium temperature until the Visiotherm® reaches the first red area.
- Fry the bacon until slightly crispy and golden brown, allowing the bacon to fry first before stirring it – this allows the fat to fry out and loosen the bacon from the base. Spoon out and set aside.
- Heat a thin layer of the oil and fry the leeks and garlic for a few minutes until slightly softened. Add the peppers and sauté until almost soft.
- Stir in the rice and sauté for a few more minutes. Reduce the heat slightly, add the stock or wine, tomatoes, bay leaf and paprika and mix through.
- Cover with a lid and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add the chicken and simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until the chicken and rice are cooked, but the chicken should still be juicy.
- Stir cooked bacon back into the rice. Add the peas and cook for another 5-8 minutes until everything is heated through.
- Meanwhile, heat our AMC 24 cm Chef’s Pan over a medium temperature, add a thin layer of the remaining oil and fry lemon wedges on both sides, until golden brown and charred.
- Season paella to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper, and stir in the parsley. Serve with the charred lemon wedges.
