2 cups chicken stock, homemade or low-sodium canned
Kosher or sea salt
1/4 tsp crumbled thread saffron
3 lb chicken thighs, bone-in, skin on
8 Tbsp olive oil
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
I box frozen artichoke hearts (already quartered)
8 slow-roasted tomato halves, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp minced flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp Spanish smoked paprika (mild or hot, to taste)
3 cups bomba or Valencia rice, or arborio
Salt and black pepper to taste
Heat the broth, salt, saffron, and 4 cups water in a
covered pot over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, then keep the broth hot over the lowest heat.
Sprinkle chicken pieces all over with salt.
Preheat the oven to 400°F for gas, 450°F for electric.
Heat
the
oil over fairly high heat in a paella pan measuring 17-18 inches at
its widest point (or in a shallow casserole of similar size), over 2
burners if necessary. Sauté the chicken over high heat until brown (it
should not be fully cooked), about 5 minutes, turning once. (Be careful
— this will splatter.) Add the green pepper, onion and garlic, and
cook until slightly softened, keeping the heat high. Stir in the
artichokes and tomatoes, and cook on high for about 3 minutes.
Add the parsley, cook 1 minute, then mix in the paprika.
Stir
in the rice and coat well with the pan mixture. Pour in the hot broth
and bring to a boil. Taste for salt and pepper, and continue to boil about 5
minutes, stirring and rotating the pan occasionally, until the rice is
no longer soupy but enough liquid remains to continue cooking the rice,
about 5 minutes.
Transfer pan to the oven. Cook, uncovered,
until the rice is almost al dente, 10-13 minutes in a gas oven, 15-20
minutes in electric.
Remove to a warm spot, cover with foil, and
let sit 5-10 minutes, until the rice is cooked to taste. Return the
paella to the stovetop over high heat and cook, without stirring, until a
soccarat (crust) of rice forms at the bottom of the pan (be careful not to burn
it). This will take 3-4 minutes. Bring the pan to the table and serve hot.