Chicken Paella with Sausage, Shrimp and Mussels

This is my light version of paella. The key to this dish is the arborio rice, which gives it a wonderful, creamy texture.

RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS
1. Dust the chicken with flour. Lightly coat a large non-stick skillet with cooking oil, add the vegetable oil and place over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on all sides, about 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

2. Respray the pan with cooking oil. Add the sausage and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, draining as much fat as possible. Set aside.

3. Wipe out the pan and respray. Cook the onions and garlic over medium-high heat for 4 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the red and green peppers; cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook for 1 minute. Add the sausage, chicken stock, tomatoes, basil, oregano, bay leaf, saffron (if using), salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. If the shrimp are large or jumbo, cut them in half. Add the shrimp, mussels and reserved chicken to the sausage mixture. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for 5 minutes, or until the rice is soft and the mussels have opened. (If the rice begins to stick to the bottom, add another ½ cup stock.) Discard the bay leaf and any mussels that do not open. Distribute evenly among large individual bowls, garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

INGREDIENTS
12 oz skinless boneless chicken breast (about 3 breasts), cubed
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp vegetable oil
6 oz mild Italian sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup chopped onion
2 tsp minced fresh garlic
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup short-grain arborio rice
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 cups chopped plum tomatoes
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp crumbled saffron threads (optional)
A pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 oz peeled and deveined shrimp
12 mussels, scrubbed and beards removed
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

NOTES
Nutritional Analysis per Serving

Calories 407
Protein 49 g
Fat 7.3 g
Saturated Fat 2.2 g
Carbohydrates 36 g
Cholesterol 139 mg
Sodium 624 mg
Fiber 3 g

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes

Make Ahead: Prepare early in the day up to where the seafood is added; cover and refrigerate. Reheat, add the seafood and cook just before serving. This can be frozen without mussels for up to 6 weeks.

Serves 6

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