Weeknight paella

The Internet can be trouble for cooks. Endless pages of potentially untested recipes sometimes lead down a path that conveniently fits what's in the fridge -- but is not necessarily a winner in any other sense.

But sometimes you get lucky. I searched around online for a paella that fit my supplies at home, and this Chicken and Shrimp Paella from Cooking Light turned out pretty great. You could definitely find something more traditional or luxurious, but I doubt many people want search for mussels, clams, and snails for Tuesday dinner. Shrimp, chicken and sausage are manageable.

The preparation wasn't taxing -- it took about an hour from start to finish. It also made a huge quantity (even after I decreased the amount of chicken by 30%), so halve the recipe if you're not a fan of leftovers.

Chicken and Shrimp Paella

Adapted from Cooking Light

4 chicken thighs, skinned

1 tsp chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

2 tsp olive oil

2 hot Italian sausages

1 C chopped onion

1 1/2 C uncooked Arborio rice

1/2 C diced plum tomato

1 tsp paprika

1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed

1 T dried garlic

3 C low-sodium chicken broth

3/4 lb shrimp

1 C (1-inch) diagonally cut asparagus

1 C frozen green peas, thawed

Preheat oven to 400°.

Sprinkle chicken with rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add chicken and cook 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove from pan; cover and keep warm.

Crumble sausage into pan and cook 1 minute. Add onion; cook 7 minutes, stirring. Add rice, tomato, paprika, saffron, and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring. Return chicken to pan. Add broth and 1/4 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Cover and bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Stir in shrimp, asparagus, and peas. Cover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until shrimp are done. (Original recipe only listed 5 minutes for final cooking time -- I actually did 12 minutes, and it was perfect, so check after 5 minutes, then continue if necessary.)