Paella Mixta (Mixed Paella)
This paella mixta (mixed paella) combines seafood and chicken into a delightful meal.
The best of both worlds, paella mixta (mixed paella) combines meat and seafood in this cross between paella de marisco (seafood paella) and the original paella Valenciana. In this version I use chicken, shrimp, and muscles, along with rice, vegetables, and spices.
When buying mussels they should be tightly closed as they are sold alive. Occasionally, you will find some that are slightly open; however, if you pinch these shut and they reman shut, it means the mussel is still alive and it will be safe to eat. Any that do not remain shut should be discarded.
When possible, prepare paella outdoors over an open fire. This allows the smokiness to combine with the flavours of the paella as it was prepared traditionally.
Ingredients
(Makes 4 servings)
1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon butter, salted
2 skin-less, bone-less chicken breasts, chopped
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 cups rice
2 Roma tomatoes, deseeded and diced
20 medium shrimp, cleaned
8 mussels
lemon wedges (optional)
fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)
Scrub the mussels under cold water and debeard them, which means using a knife to remove the fibres that attach the mussels to their shells. Discard any mussels that are open and will not close when you handle them. Place in a bowl of ice water and put them in the refrigerator along with the shrimp until needed.
In a sauté pan (or paella) over medium-high heat, add the extra-virgin olive oil and butter. Once the butter is melted and hot, add the chopped chicken breast and cook until browned on all sides. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken from the pan and place in a bowl and set aside.
In the same pan, add the onion, and yellow bell pepper then sauté until the vegetables begin to soften (about 8 minutes). Add the garlic, paprika, turmeric, ground black pepper, and bay leaf, stirring well to combine. Add the chicken stock and deglaze the pan before sprinkling the rice into the pan in and even layer. Reduce the heat to medium, add the tomato and reintroduce the chicken. Allow to cook until the rice has absorbed the stock.
Mix in the shrimp and press the mussels into the rice. Cook for 5 or 6 minutes then stir, avoiding the mussels, to ensure the shrimp are being cooked. Continue cooking until the mussels are fully open.
Remove the bay leaf and serve with lemon wedges and sprinkle of fresh parsley (optional).
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
total calories = 313 | total fat = 5.72g | saturated fat = 1.32g | cholesterol = 80.5mg | sodium = 1,328.06mg | net carbohydrates = 33.83g | dietary fibre = 2.07g | sugars = 5.59g | protein = 27.36g
