Spanish Saffron-Braised Chicken Thighs with Chorizo, Sherry-Glazed Peppers, and Toasted Almond Rice

Begin by preparing the vegetables: peel and thinly slice 1 medium yellow onion, remove seeds and slice 1 large red bell pepper into strips, and mince 4 garlic cloves. Wash and finely chop 0.25 cup fresh parsley.

Slice 4 oz of Spanish chorizo into 1/4-inch thick rounds. In a small bowl, combine 1.5 cups of chicken stock with 0.25 tsp saffron threads and let bloom for 10 minutes.

Pat 4 chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.

In a large wide skillet or Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Place chicken thighs skin-side down and sear for 7-8 minutes without moving them to develop a deep golden-brown crust and render the fat. Flip and sear for 3 minutes on the other side. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.

Lower heat to medium. Add the 4 oz sliced chorizo to the pan and cook for 2 minutes until the red oils are released. Add the sliced onion and red bell pepper. Sauté for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and starting to caramelize, picking up the chicken fond from the bottom of the pan.

Stir in the minced garlic and 1 tsp smoked paprika. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the spices.

Pour in 0.5 cup dry Sherry to deglaze the pan. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits (fond) from the bottom. Let the liquid reduce by half, about 2 minutes.

Add the 1.5 cups of saffron-infused chicken stock to the skillet. Return the chicken thighs to the pan, skin-side up (keep the skin above the liquid to maintain crispness). Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and braise for 25 minutes.

While the chicken braises, prepare the rice. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add 0.25 cup sliced almonds and toast for 2-3 minutes until golden and fragrant.

Add 1.5 cups of raw long-grain white rice to the almonds. Stir constantly for 2 minutes to toast the rice grains until they look opaque and smell nutty.

Add the remaining 2 cups of chicken stock and a pinch of salt to the rice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 18 minutes. Once cooked, remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

Once the chicken is tender (internal temperature 165°F), remove the lid. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the sauce and stir in half of the chopped parsley. Taste the sauce and add more salt or lemon juice if needed to balance the richness.

Serve each chicken thigh over a bed of the toasted almond rice, spooning plenty of the chorizo and pepper sauce over the meat. Garnish with the remaining fresh parsley and lemon wedges from the other half of the lemon.