Chicken and Shrimp Paella

Typically, paella is made with medium-grain rice like Arborio or Valencia, which can absorb the flavors in the broth without overcooking. Saffron, the exotic spice with a distinct, earthy flavor, gives this Spanish dish its characteristic yellow hue. It's a bit soupy when first prepared but quickly absorbs the liquid.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 chicken thigh and about 1 cup rice mixture)

Ingredients

• 6  chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds), skinned
• 1  teaspoon  chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 3/4  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 2  teaspoons  vegetable oil
• 1  (4-ounce) link hot turkey Italian sausage
• 1  cup  chopped onion
• 1/2  cup  chopped red bell pepper
• 1 1/2  cups  uncooked Arborio or Valencia rice
• 1/2  cup  diced plum tomato
• 1  teaspoon  Hungarian sweet paprika
• 1/4  teaspoon  saffron threads, crushed
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 3  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4  pound  large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1  cup  (1-inch) diagonally cut asparagus
• 1/2  cup  frozen green peas, thawed

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Sprinkle chicken with rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove chicken from pan; cover and keep warm.

Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring to crumble. Add onion and bell pepper; cook 7 minutes, stirring constantly. Add rice, tomato, paprika, saffron, and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Return chicken to pan. Add broth and 1/4 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Wrap handle of pan with foil; cover pan. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Stir in shrimp, asparagus, and peas. Cover and bake an additional 5 minutes or until shrimp are done.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

433 (15% from fat)

Fat:

7g (sat 1.6g,mono 2g,poly 2.5g)

Protein:

34.8g

Carbohydrate:

52.8g

Fiber:

3g

Cholesterol:

156mg

Iron:

3.2mg

Sodium:

787mg

Calcium:

73mg