Start by discarding the skin from the chicken drumsticks. Pat them dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper.
In your large skillet or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onion, minced garlic, and minced carrots. Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent and fragrant.
Add the chicken drumsticks to the skillet, browning them on all sides for about 8-10 minutes.
Once the chicken is browned, stir in the curry powder (if using), paprika, and bay leaf. Then, add the brown rice and mix well to coat it with the spices and oil.
Carefully pour in the low-sodium chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, making sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and let it cook for about 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, stir in the frozen peas and chopped red bell pepper. Cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
Once cooked, remove the skillet from heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and enjoy your delicious One-Pot Chicken Paella!