Prepare Your Mise en Place

• Chop all vegetables, measure spices, and prep seafood. Keep everything organized and ready to go. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Prep & Sear the Chicken

• Season chicken with salt and pepper. Use dark meat for richer flavor and moisture.
• Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in two pans—one casserole for the rice and one frying pan for the chicken.
• Sauté the diced onion until lightly golden in the casserole pan
• In the frying pan, sear chicken on both sides until browned. This is where you build that gorgeous color and flavor. 
• Once the chicken is seared, remove it and set aside.

Build the Rice Base

• To the casserole with onion, add rice and toast it gently, stirring like a risotto until lightly golden.
• Add the saffron and pour in a splash of white wine to create a saffron infusion. Let it simmer a minute to bloom that beautiful color.
• Add chopped bell peppers and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Toss in the tarragon, thyme, bay leaf, and a pinch of cayenne if you like a kick. 
• Pour in the chicken stock. Stir everything together, scraping the bottom with a spatula to loosen all that flavor.  
• Return the chicken to the pan.  Cover and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.

Prepare the Seafood - While the rice bakes:

• While the rice bakes, prep the seafood. In a hot pan, quickly sear scallops in olive oil until golden on each side. Don’t overcrowd and don’t overcook—color is key! 
• Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and sear until just pink and lightly charred. Set both aside.

Steam the Mussels

• Combine the shallots, garlic, and white wine in a small pot with a cover, and bring to a boil.
• Add the mussels, cover, and steam until they open. Discard any that stay closed.

Final Bake & Assembly

• After 30 minutes in the oven, remove the rice mixture. Gently stir in diced ham and chopped tomato.
• Nestle in the shrimp and scallops.  Return to the oven uncovered for another 10–15 minutes until everything is cooked through and flavors are married.

Garnish & Serve

• To finish, arrange the mussels on top and garnish with lemon wedges and fresh parsley.
• I like to add a little lemon crown—cut with a zigzag pattern, just like we used to do in the ’70s. It's fun. It’s festive. It’s extraordinary.
• Serve hot—every plate should have some rice, chicken, shrimp, scallops, and a couple of mussels. This is a celebration in a pan!

Bon Appétit!