Noche Buena Boxes: Chicken Pastel Paella

2 tbsp butter

3 tbsp vegetable oil

½ cup chorizocut into thick diagonals

½ cup red onionsdiced

2 tbsp garlicminced

½ cup red bell pepperssliced into strips

¾ kg chicken thigh filletskin on

½ cup sliced mushrooms

½ cup carrotssliced into diagonal pieces

½ cup canned water chestnutssliced

2 cups short-grained rice

3 cups chicken broth

broth from Vienna sausages

1 ½ cups evaporated milk

1 cup all-purpose cream

½ cup green peas

2 cups Vienna sausagechopped

1 cup pineapple chunks

saltto taste

ground black pepperto taste

Prepare chicken

Season chicken thighs generously with salt and ground black pepper.

Sear chicken

In a large wide pan/paella pan, sear the chicken thighs in the butter and oil until skins are crispy. Remove from pan and set aside.

Sauté aromatics

In the same pan, sauté the chorizo slices, red onion, and garlic until the chorizo releases oils. Add the mushrooms and carrots and continue sautéing.

Add rice

Add the rice and allow to toast and get coated in the oils. Mix in chicken broth, Vienna sausage broth, evaporated milk, and cream.

Add meat and vegetables

Spread the rice into an even layer throughout the pan and arrange the chicken thigh pieces on top. Cover and cook on medium-high heat for about 30 minutes to create the crust. Gently mix the top of the rice and add the water chestnuts, Vienna sausages, green peas, pineapple chunks, and red bell pepper on top. Cover again, lower heat to medium, cover, and cook until rice is fully cooked.

Finish cooking

Uncover, reduce temperature to low, and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the rice is dry.

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Noche Buena Boxes: Chicken Pastel Paella