Rinse peppers under cold water and pat dry. Slice off tops and bottoms, stand upright, and cut down along the inside to remove seeds and white ribs. Slice lengthwise into ½-inch strips; halve crosswise for shorter pieces. Keep sizes uniform so everything cooks evenly. If adding onion, slice it now. Measure out olive oil, salt, and pepper. Have everything ready before the pan goes on — sautéing moves fast.

Heat a large Skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil per 2 peppers; warm 30–60 seconds until shimmering. Add pepper strips in a single layer — work in batches if crowded. Season with salt and pepper, stir to coat. Cook over medium heat, stirring every 2–3 minutes, for 6–10 minutes. At 6 minutes: slightly softened with snap. At 10 minutes: tender throughout with light color. For very soft peppers, cook 30–40 minutes over medium-low, stirring occasionally. Add garlic halfway through cooking. If browning too fast, add a splash of white wine or water and briefly cover to steam.

Season the 1 ½ lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs cut into pieces on both sides with ¾ tsp kosher salt plus more and ½ tsp black pepper freshly ground. Heat the 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in a large Paella Pan or 12–14-inch~ Skillet over medium-high heat^. Add the 6 oz Spanish chorizo sliced into ¼-inch rounds skin-side down and sear until golden brown, about 5–6 minutes~ per side. Remove and set aside. Add the 6 oz Spanish chorizo sliced into ¼-inch rounds slices to the same pan and cook for 2 minutes~ until lightly browned; remove and set aside with the 1 ½ lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs cut into pieces.

Reduce heat to medium^. In the same pan with the rendered fat, add the 1 medium yellow onion finely diced and 1 whole red bell pepper seeded and diced. Sauté for 5 minutes~ until softened. Add the 4 cloves garlic minced and 1 tsp smoked paprika; cook for 1 minute~ until fragrant. Stir in the drained 1 can diced tomatoes drained and cook for 3 minutes~, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid evaporates and the mixture thickens into a sofrito.

Rinse peppers under cold water and pat dry. Slice off tops and bottoms, stand upright, and cut down along the inside to remove seeds and white ribs. Slice lengthwise into ½-inch strips; halve crosswise for shorter pieces. Keep sizes uniform so everything cooks evenly. If adding onion, slice it now. Measure out olive oil, salt, and pepper. Have everything ready before the pan goes on — sautéing moves fast.

Heat a large Skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil per 2 peppers; warm 30–60 seconds until shimmering. Add pepper strips in a single layer — work in batches if crowded. Season with salt and pepper, stir to coat. Cook over medium heat, stirring every 2–3 minutes, for 6–10 minutes. At 6 minutes: slightly softened with snap. At 10 minutes: tender throughout with light color. For very soft peppers, cook 30–40 minutes over medium-low, stirring occasionally. Add garlic halfway through cooking. If browning too fast, add a splash of white wine or water and briefly cover to steam.