Stovetop Paella with Chicken, Chorizo & Mushrooms 🇪🇸

The Spanish paella is festive, spectacular and social, a meal you enjoy with people gathered around, drinks in hands usually.  Traditionally cooked outdoor in oversized flat pans with colourful vegetables, meat, succulent seafood and rice, it is fascinating to watch as one ingredient is added after another with care until they all simmer deliciously in the fragrant stock.  The most memorable paella party I've ever attended was one thrown by our neighbour (who are not Spanish) when residents of the whole street were invited.  The paella is also not difficult to recreate over the kitchen stovetop for the family with a few simple ingredients.  Try this paella with chicken, chorizo sausages and mushrooms, cooked in a heavy-based flat casserole pan on top of your largest burner.  Remember the rice is the hero of the dish, so allow them to be infused by the flavour of the ingredients without being overwhelmed.  Be generous with the saffron - take the colour of the Spanish flag as a guide!  And don't skip the capers in this recipe as they do add a special taste to the dish.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 250g / 9oz skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 chorizo sausage, sliced into rounds
• 1 medium-size onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 large tomato, skinned, seeded and chopped
• 1 medium green capsicum, chopped
• 200g / 7oz mushrooms, sliced
• 300g / 10½oz paella rice or arborio rice
• 3½ cups chicken stock
• a good pinch of saffron
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste  
• 2 tablespoons baby capers
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnishing

METHOD

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy-based flat casserole pan over medium heat.  Add the chicken and fry until browned on all sides.  Transfer to a plate and set aside.
2. Add the chorizo to the pan and cook until caramelised on both sides.  Transfer to the plate with the chicken.
3. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and the onion to the pan.  Sauté onion for 2-3 minutes or until softened.  Toss in the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.  Add the tomato, capsicum and mushrooms.  Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until the vegetables have softened.
4. Add the rice.  Sauté for 5 minutes to mix well with the vegetables.
5. Stir in the stock, saffron and cumin.  Layer the cooked chicken and chorizo on top.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Cook over medium heat, uncovered, until the chicken and rice are tender and the stock has been absorbed, about 25 minutes.  Do not stir.
6. Remove pan from heat.  Scatter capers on top.  Cover with lid and allow to rest for 5 minutes.  Garnish with chopped parsley.
7. Serve the paella at the table for people to help themselves.