Sear the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry with kitchen paper and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based pot or deep frying pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down in a single layer — you should hear a confident sizzle. Cook without moving them for 6-8 minutes until the skin is a deep, burnished gold and releases easily from the pan. Flip and brown the other side for 4 minutes. The smell in the kitchen will be intensely nutty and savoury. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Sofrito base: Reduce the heat to medium. In the same pot, add the chopped onion and diced red pepper. Stir frequently, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the vegetables have softened and the onion is translucent and sweet. You will notice the raw, sharp aroma of the onion mellow into something jammy and fragrant.

Bloom the spices: Add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, and ground cumin to the sofrito. Stir continuously for 1 minute — the spices will darken slightly and release an intoxicating, smoky perfume. Take care not to let them burn, or the dish will taste bitter. Pour in the saffron and its soaking water.

Toast the rice: Tip the rice into the pot and stir well to coat every grain in the spiced oil. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. The rice will start to look slightly translucent at the edges and will make a faint clicking sound against the metal. This toasting step is crucial — it seals the grains and prevents them from turning mushy later.

Add liquids and simmer: Pour in the chopped tomatoes and hot chicken stock. Add the teaspoon of salt. Stir once to combine, then nestle the chicken thighs back into the rice, skin-side up. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil — you should see lazy bubbles breaking the surface — then immediately reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer undisturbed for 25 minutes. The steam inside will be rich and heady with paprika and tomato.

Add peas and rest: After 25 minutes, the rice should be tender and most of the liquid absorbed. Scatter the thawed peas over the top, replace the lid, and remove the pot from the heat entirely. This is the hardest part: let it rest for 10 minutes without lifting the lid. During this time, the steam finishes cooking the peas and the rice settles into its final texture. If you listen closely, you might hear a faint crackling sound as the bottom layer of rice begins to caramelise into socarrat.

Garnish and serve: After the rest, remove the lid and scatter the chopped parsley over the top. Serve directly from the pot with lemon wedges on the side, so everyone can squeeze their own bright, fresh juice over the rich rice.