Chicken and bacon paella

Recipe

Chicken and bacon paella

Recipe developed for AMC Cookware
Serves 4 – 6

Have you enjoyed the flavourful Spanish dish known as a paella before? It’s typically made with chorizo sausages, seafood and chicken? We developed this more affordable version for AMC Cookware, that is equally delicious! We combined bacon and chicken fillets with smoked paprika and tomato, for those well-known Spanish flavours. This recipe is perfect to prepare in AMC’s Paella pan or use a large wide-based pan or wok for the best results.

Ingredients

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 pepper to taste

45 ml (3 tbsp) chopped fresh Italian parsley

Method

1. Heat a large saucepan, paella pan or large wok over a medium temperature. Pan fry 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add chicken and simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until the chicken and rice are cooked, but the chicken should still be juicy.
5. Stir cooked bacon back into the rice. Add the peas and cook for another 5-8 minutes until everything is heated through.
6. Meanwhile, in a small frying pan, add a thin layer of the remaining oil and fry lemon wedges on both sides, until golden brown and charred. Set aside.
7. Season paella to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper, and stir in the parsley. Serve with the charred lemon wedges.

Tip

1. For a spicier version, add 2,5 ml (½ tsp) cayenne pepper, or more to taste, with the paprika.

Images: Matt van Lill
Client: AMC Cookware