• Fast
• Make-Ahead
• Staff Favorite

Ingredients

1. 1 teaspoon paprika
2. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3. Salt
4. 8 bone-in chicken thighs, with skin
5. Four 6-ounce sole fillets, halved lengthwise
6. 2 large pinches of saffron threads
7. 4 cups vegetable stock, chicken stock or low-sodium broth
8. Freshly ground pepper
9. 1 pound dry chorizo, sliced 1/4 inch thick
10. 8 small squid, bodies sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch rings and tentacles halved
11. 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
12. 4 garlic cloves, minced
13. 2 cups arborio or other short-grain rice
14. 1 cup frozen peas
15. 1 pound littleneck clams, scrubbed
16. 1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded
17. 1/2 pound lump crabmeat, well-drained and picked over
18. 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix the paprika, 1 tablespoon of the oil and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Add the chicken and toss. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
2. Arrange the sole in a single layer in a shallow baking dish. In a bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the oil with 1 pinch of the saffron. Drizzle the oil over the fish and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
3. In a saucepan, combine the vegetable stock with the remaining pinch of saffron and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover and keep warm.
4. In a 14-inch paella pan or cast-iron skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the chicken and cook over moderately high heat, turning, until browned all over, about 15 minutes; transfer to a platter.
5. Add the chorizo to the pan and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer the chorizo to the platter with the chicken. Pour off and reserve any excess fat in the pan; leave a thin layer of fat coating the bottom. Add the squid and cook until just white throughout, about 2 minutes. Transfer the squid to the platter with the chicken.
6. Return 2 tablespoons of the reserved fat to the pan. Add the onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Transfer the onion mixture to the platter.
7. Return 2 additional tablespoons of the reserved fat to the pan. Stir in the rice and cook over moderately high heat for 2 minutes. Add the chicken, chorizo, squid and onion mixture to the pan along with any accumulated juices. Stir in the peas. Gently pour the warmed stock into the pan. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
8. Using tongs, nestle the clams and mussels into the rice. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Arrange the sole fillets and the crabmeat on the rice. Cover and cook for 5 minutes longer, until the sole is cooked through and the rice is tender. Remove the pan from the heat and let the paella stand for 5 minutes. Discard any mussels and clams that have not opened. Sprinkle the paella with the parsley and serve right away.