Risotto with Chicken, Sausage and Peppers

Ingredients

• 6 bone-in chicken thighs with skin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound linguica sausage, sliced
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 4 cups chicken stock, or as needed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 mildly hot green pepper, such as a chilaca, chopped
• 8 ounces uncooked orzo pasta

Directions

Season chicken thighs with salt and black pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high heat in a saucepan. Cook chicken until browned, about 3-4 minutes on each side; remove from pan.

Cook and stir linguica sausage and onion in the same saucepan until the onion is just starting to become translucent, about 3 minutes.

Stir in paprika, cumin, herbes de Provence, bay leaf, and parsley; cook spices in oil until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Return browned chicken thighs to the skillet, and pour in chicken stock.

Heat to a boil; reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

Remove all chicken pieces and sausage using a slotted spoon. Pour broth into different bowl and set aside. When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin and bones; set chicken meat and sausage aside.

Heat 2 more tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat in saucepan. Add red and green peppers and orzo; stir to coat with hot oil. Stir in 1-1/2 cups of hot broth, 1/2 cup at a time. Cook for 5 minutes, or until most of broth is absorbed.

Continue to slowly add remaining broth and stir until almost absorbed, about 15 minutes, or until tender but still slightly firm in the center of a pasta (you probably won't use all of broth). Remove from heat. Add chicken and sausage, stir and cover. Let sit for 5 minutes, or until pasta soaks up remaining broth. You can pour in extra broth at serving time if mixture is a little dry.