Chicken, Shrimp & Chorizo Paella

 Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 (3/4 lb.) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut in half crosswise
• 1/2 lb. extra-large shrimp, peeled & deveined
• 1/4 lb. chorizo sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup peas
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (14 1/2 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 cup long-grain rice
• 8 small piemento-stuffed green olives sliced
• 1/2 tsp. saffron threads, crushed
• 1/8 tsp. smoked paprika
• 3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (optional)
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Makes 6 Servings (1 1/3 cups per serving)

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, 3-4 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook until browned, 1 1/2 minutes on each side; transfer to a separate plate. Add the chorizo to the skillet and cook until browned, about 3 minutes on each side; transfer to the plate with the chicken. 
2. Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic to the skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, broth, rice, olives, saffron, and paprika; bring to a boil. Add the chicken and chorizo; return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, about 15 minutes. 
3. Add the shrimp to the skillet and simmer, covered, until the chicken and chorizo are cooked through and the shrimp are opaque in the center, about 7 minutes. Fluff mixture with a fork and stir in the parsley, if using. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 7 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Ultimate Chicken Cookbook. Paella is considered the national dish of Spain and it's a wonderful comfort food that is full of flavor. Paella is a saffron-infused Valencian rice dish that is rich with ingredients such as chicken, seafood, sausages, vegetables and flavorful seasonings such as saffron and paprika. This version of paella is tasty, filling and deliciously satisfying. The original recipe calls for Keilbasa sausage but I used chorizo because chorizo is a traditional ingredient used in paella. I added peas to the paella for a more filling flavor. Red bell peppers are used in traditional paella but you can use any bell pepper in this recipe. I highly recommend using bomba rice in this recipe for an authentic Spanish flare. 

Chicken Tagine

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lb. boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 (10 oz.) package frozen whole okra
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1/4 tsp. saffron threads, lightly crushed
• 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 12 pimiento-stuffed olives, halved
• 3 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Makes 4 Servings (1 cup per serving)

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate. 
2.  Add the okra, onion, garlic, ginger, and saffron to the skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the broth and lemon juice; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, stir in the chicken, and simmer; covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 7 minutes. Uncover and cook until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 3 minutes longer. Remove the skillet from the heat; stir in the olives, cilantro, salt, and pepper. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Ultimate Chicken Cookbook. This version of tagine is light and filling. A tagine is a comfort food that hails from Morocco and is typically prepared with meat or poultry and vegetables, garlic, and olives. Seasonings can include saffron, ginger, paprika, or cilantro. I highly recommend serving a side of couscous with the tagine for an additional 3 points a serving and a more filling dish. 

Arroz Con Pollo

Ingredients:

• 4 (5 oz.) skinless bone-in chicken thighs
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 assorted bell peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup long-grain rice
• 1/2 tsp. saffron seeds, lightly crushed 
• 1 (14 1/2 oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 12 pimiento-stuffed green olives

Makes 4 Servings

1. Sprinkle the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8  teaspoon of the black pepper. Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, 3-4 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate. 
2. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the same skillet. Add the bell peppers, onion, and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 7 minutes. Add the rice and saffron; cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, broth, and chicken; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the liquid is absorbed and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Stir in the peas, olives, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and let stand, covered, for about 5 minutes. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 11 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Ultimate Chicken Cookbook. Arroz con pollo is a traditional dish whose components vary from one region to another throughout Spain, the Caribbean, and Latin America. It is a popular one-pot comfort food that is made with flavorful ingredients such as chicken, onions, garlic and tomatoes are the base to which a variety of vegetables, such as bell peppers, peas and olives, are added. This dish makes a nice comfort food dish to enjoy on the weekend and will become a favorite. 

Sausage, Pepper, & Mushroom Paella

Ingredients:

• 3 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 (13 oz.) package chorizo sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 (10 oz.) package sliced white mushrooms
• 2 red bell peppers, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (8 oz.) package yellow rice mix
• 2 tsp. ground smoked paprika
• pinch saffron
• 1 cup reduced-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 (14 1/2 oz.) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Makes 8 Servings (1 cup per serving)

1. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chorizo and cook, stirring, until browned, about 8 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Heat remain 2 teaspoons oil in Dutch oven. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, bell peppers, and garlic; cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes.
3. Add rice to mushroom mixture, stirring until coated well. Stir in broth, wine, tomatoes, and chorizo; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Stir in peas. Remove Dutch oven from heat; let stand, covered, until peas are heated through, about 5 minutes.

WW POINTS VALUE: 7 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. I have never been to Spain but paella is considered to be the national dish of Spain. Paella is so delicious when it's done right. Paella can be served for almost any occasion: game day, get togethers, movie night or even holidays. The original recipe calls for water but I substituted vegetable broth and dry white wine to make the paella more flavorful. I also added a touch a paprika and saffron for an authentic Spanish taste. The original recipe called for turkey kielbasa but I used chorizo for a more authentic Spanish taste. Paella is so delicious it will quickly become a favorite at your table.

Seafood Paella

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 (4 oz.) low-fat chorizo sausage link
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup quick-cooking whole-grain brown rice
• 1 1/2 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
• 2 roasted red peppers (from a jar), thinly sliced
• pinch saffron
• 1/2 lb. large shrimp, peeled & deveined
• 2 large plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen baby peas
• 1 1/2 lbs. littleneck clams or cockles (about 2 dozen), cleaned
• 1 1/2 lbs. mussels (about 2 dozen), cleaned
• freshly ground black pepper

Makes 4 Servings

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes; transfer to a cutting board. Add onion and garlic to the pan; cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cut sausage into thin slices. Return sausage to the pan and add wine, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add rice, broth, red peppers, and saffron; bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in shrimp, tomatoes, and peas. Add clams and mussels, cover, and cook until clams and mussels open, about 5 minutes. Discard any shellfish that haven't opened. Season lightly with black pepper. Divide among 4 bowls and serve warm.

WW POINTS VALUE: 8 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. Paella is considered to be the national dish of Spain. I have never been to Spain but I've had paella a couple of times and paella is delicious. This is a healthy version of paella and it is flavorful and delicious. The original recipe called for a low-fat hot Italian turkey sausage link. I recommend using a chorizo sausage for an authentic Spanish taste. Chorizo is always used in paella so please don't insult the national dish of Spain. Also, bomba rice is typically use in making paella but this recipe calls for whole grain brown rice and the paella tastes just as good and it's perfect for people who are prone to heart disease, diabetes and other health concerns. If you don't have or like clams or mussels, double up on the shrimp and the paella will still be delicious. Paella is a wonderful comfort food and it's perfect for any kind of party or gathering. Serve this and company will eat this up.

Seafood-Stuffed Sole

Ingredients:

Stuffed Sole:

• 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped fennel
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 tsp. basil
• 3 tbsp. chopped shallots
• 8 oz. large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and sliced into thirds
• 4 oz. bay scallops
• 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 (6 oz.) sole fillets
• 1 cup dry white wine

Saffron Sauce:

• 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove. minced
• 1/8 tsp. saffron threads, crushed
• 2 tbsp. hot water
• 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp. capers, rinsed and drained
• 1 tbsp. fat-free sour cream
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Makes 4 Servings

1. To make the sole: Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, fennel, scallions, parsley, basil, and 2 tablespoons of the shallots. Cook for 4 minutes, or until the fennel is just tender. Add the shrimp and scallops and cook  for 2 minutes or until the shrimp and scallops are opaque and cooked through.
3. Remove the mixture to a bowl and stir in the bread crumbs, egg, and lemon juice. Season with the pepper.
4.  Place the sole, skin side up, on a work surface. Divide the stuffing into 4 equal portions. Slightly mound the stuffing in the center of each fillet and roll up the fillets jelly-roll style.
5. Coat a 1-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Sprinkle the dish with the remaining  1 tablespoon shallots and place the fillets, seam sides down, on top of the shallots. Pour the wine around the fillets. Cover with a piece of waxed paper.
6. Bakes for 15 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily. Remove from baking dish and keep warm on a covered serving platter. Reserve the cooking liquid.
7. To make the saffron sauce: Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. In a cup, mix the saffron with the water and add to the skillet. Stir in the mustard, capers, and the reserved fish-cooking liquid. Cook until the liquid is reduced to about 2/3 cup. Remove from the heat and whisk in the sour cream. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce over the fillets and sprinkle with the parsley, if using.

WW POINTS VALUE: 8 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Cookbook. This is what I call elegant dining and you can enjoy this dish at home. Don't be intimidated by the number of ingredients by this dish. This elegant dish is very easy to prepare and can easily be made in advance. The recipe calls for scallops and shrimp but you can substitute crab meat and the sole will still be delicious. I highly recommend making an extra batch of sauce to pour over the sole and the vegetables you plan to serve with the sole. I highly recommend serving this restaurant quality meal to family and friends because it's flavorful and elegant.

Risotto Milanese

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• Pinch saffron threads
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup Aborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2  tbsp greated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp butter
• 2 tsp grated lemon zest
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Makes 8 Servings

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer.
2. In a small bowl, dissolve the saffron in 1 cup of the stock.
3. In a large nonstick saucepan, heat the oil. Saute the onion until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the rice; cook, stirring until translucent, about 1 minute.
4. Add the wine and 1/2 cup of the stock; cook, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding the stock, alternating between plain stock and saffron stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until the stock is absorbed before adding more, until the rice is just tender. The total cooking time should be 25-30 minutes. Stir in the cheese, butter, lemon zest, and pepper; serve at once.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts (1/2 cup per serving)

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. Rice is a wonderful comfort food when it's seasoned with the right flavors. Risotto is what I like ot think of as the official rice dish of Italy. It is so rich and creamy it melts in your mouth. The saffron and lemon zest add flavor and color to this dish.I used a special kind of olive oil in this dish: Milanese Gremolata Infused Olive Oil from The Imperial Olive in Williamsburg, VA. I think that particular olive oil gave this disha real, authentic Italian flavor. This side dish is wonderful with seafood, chicken, turkey and even lamb and veal. I made this risotto with the Lobster Milanese and they worked so well together. This dinner was so deliciously rich it filled me up. I didn't even have dessert the dinner was so filling. I highly recommend serving this dish for a special occasion because it's just as good as going out to a really nice restaurant and ordering an expensive dish.

 

Lobster Milanese

Ingredients:

• 4 (1 1/4-pound) lobsters
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• Cayenne pepper
• 4 jumbo shrimp, peeled

Makes 4 Servings

1.  Place the lobsters in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the broiler
3. Remove 1 lobster from the freezer and place it stomach side down on the counter. With a heavy knife, cut throughthe lobster behind the head. This kills the lobster by severing its spine, although it may continue to move after it is dead. Turn the lobster over and cut the body and tail cavities lengthwise down the center.
4. Gently spread open the lobster's body and brush the cavity with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the garlic and dust with the cayenne. Stuff the tail with 1 shrimp.
5. Repeat this procedure with the remaining lobsters. Place them on a broiling pan and broil 8-10 minutes, or until they are cooked through. Do not overcook, or the meat will dry out and toughen.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5-7 points

 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Legal Seafood's Cookbook. I was in the mood for some restaurant-quality gourmet Italian food. Plus, lobster tails were on sail and I was cleaning out the kitchen pantry. I really enjoyed cooking and tasting chicken milanese and I've always wanted to cook lobster.  Lobster milanese is very simple and easy to cook and the end result was delicious. There is no need to have butter in this dish because the olive oil keep the lobster meat moist. I used saffron in place of the cayanne pepper for a subtle flavor and to give the lobster a little more color. I also used a special kind of extra-virgin olive oil: Milanese Gremolata Infused Olive Oil from The Imperial Olive in Williamsburg, VA. This olive oil really enhanced the flavors of this Lobster Milanese. Butter wasn't necessary because the olive oil cooked the lobster so perfectly it melted in my mouth with the Risotto Milanese. Legal Seafood's never lets you down when it comes to gourmet seafood and this dinner hit it out of the ballpark.

Spanish Monkfish

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp + 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 (14-oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp powdered saffron
• 1 1/2 lbs. monkfish or halibut filets
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Makes 4 Servings

1. Heat oven to 425 F.
2. Heat 2 tsp of the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, reduce heat to medium-low and cook 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice, saffron and a pinch of salt and pepper. Simmer 20 minutes.
3. While sauce is cooking, brush fish with remaining oil and season well with salt and pepper. Bake until just opaque in the center, 12-15 minutes.
4. Add parslet to sauce, seaon to taste with salt and pepper and remove from heat. Spoon over fish and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook. This is a deliciously easy dish that can be enjoyed any day of the week. It's also a flavorful way to  kick-start your weight loss. Garlic, tomatoes, parsley and saffron are the basic flavors for a traditional Spanish dish. You can also use haddock with this dish and it will taste delicious. I had this dish last night and the fish was cooked beautifully along with the tomato sauce with a side of green beans and dinner was delicious.

South Beach Chicken Paella

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup whole-grain, qick cooking brown rice
• 3/4 cup roasted red bell peppers (from a jar), drained and thinly sliced
• 2 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 tsp saffron
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Make 4 (1 1/2-cup) Servings

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and onion; cook, stirring often, until onion is softetened, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in rice. Add red peppers, broth and saffron; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. If paella has excess moisture, cook uncovered 3 -5 minutes. Stir in parsely, seaspn to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 8 pts

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook. Paella is the official dish of Spain and there are many versions of paella. As I've said before, a little saffron goes a long way lending pugent flavor and color to the dish. I've always loved chicken and rice for dinner growing up and this chicken and rice dinner adds bold new flavors to this comfort food. Even though the recipe calls for brown rice, I highly recommend using Bobma rice for that authentic Spanish flavor. Bomba rice is the rice that is used in traditional Paellas. You could also add a little white wine for a little cosmopolitan flavor as well.

 

Tomato-Saffron Stewed Chicken

Ingredients:

• 4 (6 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half crosswise on the diagonal or on the bias
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (28 oz.) can unsalted diced tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp saffron
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Makes 4 Servings

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large , heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until chicken is lightly browned, 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken from pan.
2. Add onion and garlic to the same pan and cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Return chicken to pan, add tomaotes with juice and saffron, bring to a low boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until sauce has thickened and chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Stir in parsley, season with salt and pepper and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 PTS.

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook. This is literally a quick and easy dish to cook for dinner especially when the weather is cool and you want to warm up the kitchen. This dish is basically a chicken stew with  flavor and the key flavor is saffron. Saffron is a very expensive ingredient that is used in almost every wolrd cuisine so treat saffron with the highest respect. You only need to use a small amount of saffron because a little bit if it goes a long way and that's a good thing.

Arroz con Pollo

Ingredients:

• 4 tsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 lbs. chicken parts, skinned
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (14 1/2 oz.) can stewed or diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tbsp water
• 2/3 cup white or Bomba Rice
• 1 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp saffron threads, crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup chopped roasted red peppers

Makes 4 Servings

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the chicken and sprinkle with the paprika, salt and pepper; cook, turning frequently, until browned, 8-10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a shallow 2-quart casserole dish.
2. In the skillet, combine the bell pepper, celery, onion,  and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 4-5 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomatoes, broth and water; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat; stir in the rice, capers, oregano, saffron and bay leaf. Transfer to the casserole dish. Cover and bake 25 minutes; stir in the peas and roasted peppers. Cover and bake until the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes longer; discard the bay leaf before serving.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts (1/4 of casserole)

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. I was so hungry and desperate for chicken and craving some sort of Spanish/Mexican/Latin flavor and this recipe looked so good and I had all the ingredients. This dish was like eating a paella except without the chorizo, parsley, and seafood. There are more vegetables in this dish instead of lein proteins. The recipe calls for stewed tomatoes but you can use fire-roasted tomatoes and the dish will be just as delicious. The recipe also calls for white rice. I highly recommend using Bomba rice for that authentic Spanish taste. I also cut down on the paprika to cut down on the heat. The key to this dish is the saffron. It's a very expensive spice but fortunately, a little bit of saffron goes a very long way; it adds a warm flavor and a rich and golden color to your dish.

Paella (My Version)

Ingredients:

• 4 tsp olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 Spanish Chorizo (cured) thinly sliced
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 5-6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
• 1 cup regular long-grain rice or Bomba (Spanish) rice
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 chicken or fish bouillion cube 
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 1 cup peas
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 2-3 saffron strands, crushed
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Makes 8 Servings

1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Saute the bell pepper, onion and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, peas and cook stirring well for about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and the rice, stirring, until the chicken is lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
2. Stir in the chicken stock, boullion cube, paprika, cumin, saffron and chorizo; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until most of the liquid is absorbed, 10-20 minutes. Stir in the parsley, salt and pepper. Cook, covered, until all the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes longer.

WW POINTS VALUE: 9 pts. (1/4 of paella)

Note: This recipe appears in the New WW Complete Cookbook. Paella is a traditional Spanish dish that combines meats, sausage, and fish in a rice base. The original WW recipe calls for chicken, shrimp and mussels to create lots of flavor with little fat. It was my mom's birthday and she wanted Paella for her birthday. I learned how to cook paella and I was ready to cook this dish. I had the original Paella recipe from my cooking class and incorporated some of the ingredients from that recipe to the WW recipe. The original WW recipe called for shrimp and mussels and I substituted tomatoes, peas, chicken boullion cube and chorizo and added paprika and cumin for a more flavorful dish. A Paella MUST include chorizo, Bomba Rice, saffron, paprika and cumin for that authentic Spanish taste. Don't use too much because a little spice goes a long way. The points value may be affected but it's a very filling dish that is perfect for any occasion and it's a healthy comfort food. Ole!