Recipe #7-Skillet Paella

Billy Joel's ex-wife is a better "chef" than she was a wife...  In the November 2011 edition of Cosmopolitan, she contributed a "perfect one-pot meal" that turned out very delicious and was surprisingly quick and easy to make.  Plus, it forced me to expand my rice horizon and pick up some basmati rice.

Ingredients:
4oz chorizo, diced - I used Johnsonville Chicken Sausages, Monterrey cheese flavor to be a bit healthier
1lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch pieces (I used 4 thighs)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups white rice (try arborio or basmati)
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth (3 cans)
2t paprika
1t dried thyme-I used fresh since I had that versus dried
1 bay leaf
1c frozen peas
1/2 lb med shrimp, peeled and deveined- When I went to the grocery store to get shrimp, the service counter closed 10 minutes before.  Fail.  Frozen shrimp was a bit out of my budget so I got a small pre-cooked shrimp cocktail ring.  Worked perfectly.
1T freshly squeezed lemon juice- I used the whole lemon's worth.
1/4c thinly sliced green onion- whoops! Forgot





Directions:

-Heat large skillet (I used my trusty green dutch oven, a VERY large skillet will be needed otherwise) over medium heat
-Saute chorizo until fat is rendered, about 5 minutes.  Drain on paper towel.  If using chicken sausage like I did, brown in pan and remove. There is no need to render fat since none will come out!
-Season chicken with salt and pepper
-Cook until evenly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes
-Remove chicken
-Add onion, red pepper and garlic and cook until tender, about 4-7 minutes
-Stir in rice and cook for 2 minutes
-Add broth, paprika, thyme, bay leaf, reserved chorizo/sausage and chicken and salt and pepper if needed
-Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer
-Cover and let cook for 10 minutes
-Stir in peas, shrimp and lemon juice
-Cook until peas and shrimp are hot
-Sprinkle with green onions and serve