Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/3 cup broken bits of spaghetti or 1/4 cup orzo pasta
  • 1/3 cup (a fat handful) toasted or roasted Marcona almonds
  • chopped
  • 1 cup long grain white rice
  • Salt and pepper
  • A fat pinch (about 24 threads) saffron
  • 1 tablespoons each lemon and orange zest
  • 1 3/4 cups chicken stock
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • For the chicken: 8 large
  • bone-in
  • skin-on chicken thighs
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 small onion or 1 large shallot
  • finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon pimentón (smoked sweet paprika)
  • About 1/3 to 1/2 cup chicken stock or water
  • 1 14-ounce can diced or crushed tomatoes
  • Thinly sliced scallions and chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • to garnish

Instruction

  • For the rice, in a saucepot over medium to medium-high heat, melt butter
  • Add pasta and toast to dark golden and fragrant
  • Add nuts, rice, salt, pepper, saffron and lemon and orange zests, stir a minute then add stock and bring to a boil
  • Reduce heat to simmer, cover tightly and cook 15 minutes, shaking occasionally
  • Stir in the lemon juice and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes then fluff with a fork
  • Using a sharp paring or utility knife, cut along both sides of the bone in the chicken thighs, scoring the meat near bone
  • Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper
  • Heat a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat with EVOO, a turn of the pan
  • Melt the butter into the oil then add chicken, skin-side down
  • Brown the skin 3-4 minutes—do not turn it
  • Cover pan with the lid and cook chicken about 15-18 minutes, remove to warm platter and cover or place in low oven
  • Add onions and garlic to the pan, season with paprika, salt and pepper
  • Stir 2 minutes then add sherry and reduce by half
  • Add stock or water and tomatoes, and thicken a couple of minutes more
  • Serve chicken with the crispy skin side up and sauce spooned over the top
  • Or, return chicken to pan, coat and serve from skillet itself with the Saffron Rice alongside
  • MORE: Spanish Chicken Thighs with Rosemary and Lemon Aaron Sanchez's Arroz Con Pollo Orange Rosemary Chicken with Crispy Prosciutto