Get Cooking with Creamy Chicken A La Paella

I have partnered with Unilever to create this Knorr® Creamy Chicken A La Paella recipe.

According to the latest report from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 43% of all food spending was on food away from the home. Two common barriers that I often hear from my clients to cooking at home are lack of ideas and time. And with everyone’s hectic schedules, who has time for that?

If there’s one incredible thing you could do for your health, it’s to cook your own meals. You can’t really get control of your nutrition and your health until you know exactly what you’re putting in your body. If you are preparing your own food, you are in control of your own nutrition. By eating out, it is hard to control of portions, sugar, salt, calories and fat content. Other benefits from cooking at home including boosting your fiber and nutrients by increasing your vegetable intake as well as bringing the family together.

One effective way to boost this healthy habit is by gradually easing into it. Start with a goal of three meals per week; whether it be a breakfast, a lunch for the office, or a meal at dinner time. Mix and match your meals and find some simple recipes to start off with and which entrees best suit your time frame. A great goal is to have 80% of your meals cooked at home, and 20% while dining out. Remember that cooking isn’t just about dinner; prepare and pack your lunches as well. Once you get in the habit you won’t believe you ever did it any other way (bonus: you’ll save money, too!).

Here is a cooking solution that is not only easy to make, but also will inspire you to get into the kitchen because it’s both quick and delicious. I have found Knorr® Sides to be the perfect tool to create a mouthwatering and nutritious main meal using just three simple components: Knorr® Sides, lean protein and fresh veggies. Knorr® Sides can help you create a balanced meal providing a good source of protein and at least a ½ cup of vegetables per serving, which can provide nutrients such as Vitamin C, A, potassium and fiber.

As you can see, we’re bringing a side dish to center; meaning, a side dish becomes the main meal; all the ingredients in one pot. Best of all, this dish can be for the entire family.  To bring these concepts to life, I was inspired by a signature dish from Spain: Paella.  This recipe inspiration is a combination of lean proteins – chicken sausage and shrimp, Knorr® Sides and vegetables.

Creamy Chicken A La Paella

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Serves: 8

Serving size: 1 cup  

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 medium red onion, diced

1 tablespoon crushed garlic

1 package (12.8 ounces) chicken sausage, sliced and cut into quarters

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 cups carrots, diced

1 (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

½ pound peeled and deveined cooked shrimp

2 packages of Knorr® Sides Creamy Chicken

½ cup parsley

Season with salt to taste

Directions:

1. In a medium pot, add the canola oil and heat over medium high heat for 1 minute
2. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes or until onions become translucent
3. Add chicken sausage and cook for 3 minutes, or until brown.
4. Add the carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, black pepper and paprika. Cover and simmer for 8 minutes
5. Add shrimp and mix well. Set aside in a bowl.
6. In the same pot, cook Knorr® Sides Creamy Chicken packages as directed on the package without the margarine.
7. One minute before the rice is completely cooked, add sausage mix to the pot. Mix well and then add parsley.
8. Let stand at least for 2 minutes. Stir and serve.