Paella

Peel the shrimp and debeard the mussels, rinsing well. Cut the chicken thigh into bite-size pieces.

~8 min

Steep the saffron in 1/4 cup of warm broth.

~3 min

Heat olive oil in a pan and sear the chicken thigh until golden.

~5 min

Add the chopped onion, garlic, and bell pepper and sauté, then stir in the chopped tomato.

~5 min

Add the rice and stir 1-2 minutes to coat it in the oil.

~2 min

Why: Coating each grain in oil keeps it from clumping as it cooks and lets the grains stay separate.

Pour in the saffron broth and the remaining broth, season with salt, spread evenly, and simmer uncovered and unstirred over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.

~10 min

Watch out: Stirring while it simmers turns it gluey like risotto — never stir paella once it's simmering.

Arrange the shrimp and mussels on top, cover, and cook 8-10 minutes more.

~9 min

Turn off the heat, let it rest 5 minutes, then serve with parsley and lemon.

~5 min