Paella with Chicken & Sausage

1 (3½ pound) chicken, cut into 3-inch pieces using a cleaver, or 2 pounds chicken thighs, cut into 3-inch chunks
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 cups uncooked Bomba or other short-grain white rice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 quart (32 ounces) chicken broth
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ teaspoon saffron threads
2 bay leaves
1 cup chopped white or Spanish onion
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
½ pound fresh chorizo sausage, removed from casings and crumbled or cut up
2 cups fresh or frozen green peas
½ bunch fresh parsley, chopped
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1. Put the chicken pieces in a large bowl. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil on top of the
   chicken, then season with salt and black pepper. Mix in the oregano, paprika, and turmeric. Toss to coat all the chicken pieces, then refrigerate as you prepare the rice.

2. In a paella pan or extra-large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat, then stir in the rice and garlic. Coat the rice grains with the olive oil and garlic until fragrant and shiny, about 2 minutes. Then stir in the broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, tomato paste, saffron, and bay leaves, mixing well.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, covered, for about 25 minutes.
4. As the rice is cooking, in another skillet or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and chicken to the pan. Brown the chicken pieces on all sides, for a total of about 10 minutes (5 minutes if using boneless thighs). Add the sausage pieces and brown with the chicken until the meat is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes more.
5. Stir the chicken and sausage mixture and the peas into the rice for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Garnish with the parsley and red pepper flakes. Serve immediately, straight from the pan.

Note: While I have included an option here to use boneless thighs, the bones really add to the flavor of this dish. You can ask your butcher to cut the chicken into 3-inch pieces, or try it yourself with a heavy knife—it’s not as hard as it sounds.