This Paella is a classic Spanish rice dish made with Arborio rice, packed with chicken, sausage, mussels, clams, shrimp and loaded with flavor. It’s such a comforting dish, no wonder it’s the most popular dish of Spain!
I have a romantic dish for you today. At least I think it’s romantic because this isn’t something you’d make every day. Not because it’s hard, trust me it’s quite easy to make this paella, but because it’s a bit more expensive. Not to mention how gorgeous this dish is.
This chicken and seafood paella will sure surprise and impress your significant other or guests. I can tell you my husband loved this and ate 3 servings in one sitting. That’s about the best compliment I could get. If there’s one dish he requests often besides his beloved Schnitzel, it’s this paella. I should mention that this recipe is by no means authentic, this is just my version of paella.
Ingredient Notes
- Seafood – Lots of seafood in this dish! Mussels, clams and shrimp. You can switch up the seafood, try using calamari, scallops or lobster!
- Fire Roasted Tomatoes – You can substitute with regular diced tomatoes, but I love the little bit of smokiness that the fire roasted tomatoes add.
- Arborio Rice – Arborio rice is a short Italian rice that is perfect for paella. Paella is usually made with bomba rice which is also a short grain rice though it absorbs much more water, usually for every cup of raw rice you have to add 3 cups of liquid.
- Sausage – Chorizo sausage is a good one to use, however you can use any other type of sausage. You can use cured or raw, either work fine.
- Chicken thighs – I prefer chicken thighs in this recipe because they are juicier and since the cooking process is quite a bit longer, they won’t dry out as much as chicken breasts.
- Spices and Seasoning – Besides salt and pepper you’ll need some smoked paprika and saffron. Saffron is a must in my opinion, but you don’t need a lot, a little bit goes a long way. It has a sweet, floral taste to it, plus it adds brilliant color to your dish and great flavor. If you can’t find this at your local grocery store, you can find it online or any International food stores should carry it.
- Onion and Garlic – Essential flavor enhancers to any dish.
- Broth – I used vegetable broth, but chicken broth or probably even better, seafood broth works well. Opt for a low sodium one.
How To Make Paella
- Cook the chicken and sausage: You’ll first want to cook the chicken and sausage in a little bit of olive oil until it starts to brown and is no longer pink. Move the chicken and sausage to one side of the pan and then add the chopped onion and cook for a couple more minutes until the onion becomes soft and translucent.
- Add garlic and roasted tomatoes: You can then add the garlic, the rice and here I go again with some fire roasted tomatoes. I can’t help it, I really do love those fire roasted tomatoes. Regular diced tomatoes work just as well.
- Stir in the broth: Stir everything together then you can add the broth, I used a vegetable broth which is why you see that rich dark color, but chicken broth works as well.
- Add the spices: Now is the time to add the smoked paprika, hot sauce and saffron. Saffron is quite an expensive spice, but you really want a bit of saffron here, a little goes a long way. You can now cover the paella pan with a large lid, the only large lid I found that fits the paella pan is from my wok, but it worked great.
- Cook the rice: Cook the rice for about 15 minutes or until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid, but you’ll notice that the rice is still not cooked through.
- Add seafood and finish the dish: Just arrange the clams, mussels and shrimp around the pan. Cover the pan again and cook for another 10 minutes or until the mussels and clams open up. Finally, garnish this gorgeous dish with some fresh parsley and lemon wedges and you’ve got yourself dinner.
FAQs & Expert Tips
FAQs
Paella is a classic Spanish rice dish and it’s widely regarded as Spain’s national dish. Personally, I love it, especially because it’s so versatile. I make paella quite often and make it with different proteins. In my u002230 Minute One Pot Mealsu0022 cookbook there is a quick 30 minute paella recipe.
Shrimp, clams and mussels are the common seafood ingredients used in paella, but don’t stop there. Try using calamari, scallops or lobster!
While it’s common to use a large paella pan so that you have enough room in the pan to spread out the rice and for all the other ingredients, you can still use a large skillet. Just make sure it’s large enough so that the rice not stacked up more than an inch, you’re looking for the rice to cook in a nice thin layer.
Paella is made with paella rice known as bomba rice which is a short grain rice. The closest substitute and easiest to find is arborio rice because it has similar consistency as bomba rice. Do not use brown rice since it takes too long to cook, or basmati since it’s too firm and jasmine is too mushy. You should be able to find arborio rice in most grocery stores.
Paella is one of those dishes that you eat straight from the pan. Just take it from the stovetop and place it directly on the table, pass out some forks and dig right in. However, before you start eating, make to to mix it all up to make sure all of the ingredients marry together for ultimate flavors.
Tips
- I strongly recommend using a Paella pan because it has a wider surface and the secret of paella is cooking everything evenly in a single layer. As it cooks the rice gets toasty and crispy at the bottom and that’s what you want in a good paella.
- Don’t be afraid to use more oil as needed. This will keep your rice grains from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Use a high quality saffron. I know it’s quite expensive but that’s because it’s the most precious spice in the world. It’s a star ingredient in most paella dishes. A good quality saffron will be the most flavorful, and a just a pinch will do.
- You’ll notice a crispy layer of rice at the bottom of the pan, that is what you’re looking for. This is why it’s important to not stir the rice as it cooks. We are not looking for creamy rice. That golden crust at the bottom is the best part of the paella.
- If on a budget and can’t afford all the seafood required for this dish, I recommend to at least go with the mussels, since they add so much seafood flavor to the paella.
Storing Leftover Paella
If for any reason you have leftover paella, you’ll need to store it properly in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours only because of the seafood. If you didn’t use seafood it would last 3 to 5 days in the fridge or up to a month in the freezer. Before storing it though, remove all the shells from the rice and store them separately, return the shellfish when warming it back all together.
Reheating Paella
To regain some of the original structure of the paella rice, it’s best to reheat it in a frying pan with a bit of olive oil. Spread the paella evenly across the pan and saute for a few minutes until heated through. You can also reheat it in the oven in an oven safe dish. Place it in a preheated to 250°F oven and heat for about 20 to 30 minutes.
I made this recipe and by far it’s my favorite paella recipe. It’s easy to make and the flavors are wonderful. I think the fire roasted tomatoes put it over the top. I didn’t have the smoked paprika but substituted it with a turmeric and smidgen of liquid smoke. This will definitely be my go-to paella recipe. Thanks for sharing.
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Paella Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 chicken thighs boneless and skinless cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 chorizo sausages cut into 1 inch pieces (I used Italian sausages)
- ½ tsp salt or to taste
- ¼ tsp pepper or to taste
- 1 large onion chopped
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1½ cups arborio rice *
- 14 oz diced fire roasted tomatoes (1 can)
- 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth , low sodium
- 1 tbsp hot sauce such as Tabasco or Sriracha, optional
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp saffron
- 1 lb large shrimp shelled and deveined but keep tails on
- 1 lb mussels scrubbed and soaked
- 1 lb clams scrubbed and soaked
Garnish
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
Instructions
- Cook chicken and sausage: In a large paella pan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and sausage, season with salt and pepper, then cook for about 5 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink.
- Add onion and garlic: Move the chicken and sausage to one side of the pan, then add the onion to the other half, season with a bit of salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Cook the rice: Add the arborio and fire roasted tomatoes to the pan and stir well. Let the rice cook in the sauce from the tomatoes for about 5 minutes, you will notice it will start to brown on the bottom, which is what you're looking for. Add the broth, hot sauce, smoked paprika, saffron and season with salt and pepper if needed. Stir everything together and cover with a large lid. Cook for about 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, without stirring. The rice will not be cooked through at this time.
- Add seafood: Turn down the heat to medium-low. Arrange the shrimp, mussels and clams over the rice, cover with a lid again and cook for another 10 minutes or until the mussels and clams open up.
- Garnish and serve: Turn off the heat and garnish with parsley and lemon wedges. Before serving, stir everything together to allow all the ingredients to marry each other for the best flavors.
Recipe Notes
- *Arborio rice is an Italian short-grain rice.
- I used vegetable broth here, that’s why the color of the broth is so rich and dark, if you use chicken broth it will be a lot lighter in color.
- I strongly recommend using a Paella pan because it has a wider surface and the secret of paella is cooking everything evenly in a single layer and as it cooks the rice gets toasty and crispy at the bottom and that’s what you want in a good paella.
- Don’t be afraid to use more oil as needed, this will keep your rice grains from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Use a high quality saffron. I know it’s quite expensive but that’s because it’s the most precious spice in the world but it is a star ingredient in most paella dishes. A good quality saffron will be the most flavorful, and a just a pinch will do.
- You’ll notice a crispy layer of rice at the bottom of the pan, that is what you’re looking for, it’s loaded with flavor. This is why it’s important to not stir the rice as it cooks. We are not looking for creamy rice. That golden crust at the bottom is the best part of the paella.
- If on a budget and can’t afford all the seafood required for this dish, I recommend to at least go with the mussels, since they add so much seafood flavor to the paella as it cooks.
- If for any reason you have leftover paella, you’ll need to store it properly in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours only because of the seafood. If you didn’t use seafood it would last 3 to 5 days in the fridge or up to a month in the freezer. Before storing it though, remove all the shells from the rice and store them separately, return the shellfish when warming it back all together.
- To regain some of the original structure of the paella rice, it’s best to reheat it in a frying pan with a bit of olive oil. Spread the paella evenly across the pan and saute for a few minutes until heated through. You can also reheat it in the oven in an oven safe dish. Place it in a preheated to 250°F oven and heat for about 20 to 30 minutes.
Jo -I wanted to tell you I love your recipes. They are interesting and I appreciate
the time you take to add the nutritional facts. I pre-ordered your newest cookbook to show my appreciation. Thank you.
Thank you, Debbie! I appreciate your support!
I may have already commented on this recipe, but it’s so amazing, I’m going to comment again.. So easy and amazing flavor! I do throw in a cup of fresh peas at the end. We used arborio rice and it was wonderful – perfectly cooked. Everything was perfectly cooked and seasoned.
Thanks, Ann!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I am loving your recipes.. what makes it so much better, is that you are local. I live in NE Calgary.. never checked Langdon out though I drive fairly close.. going from Calgary to Carsland to board my dogs. It is always great to find a local poster/blogger. PS we dispatch Langdon Fire too 😁
Thanks, Maggie! Langdon is really cool, a small hamlet, but everyone is so friendly. 🙂
This is our favorite paella recipe, and we’ve tried a lot! We use chicken chorizo and change up the seafood every time for some variety-last night we used scallops, shrimp, clams and lobster tails. YUM! The flavor is outstanding and cooks to perfection! Highly recommend!
I’m so excited to try this recipe when my paella pan arrives! Jo, I have been baking a storm on my end and following all your recipes! Thanks so much!! Ive been doing some research and I’ve noticed that a lot of paella contain wine, just wanted to know if you can replace 1 cup of stock with 1 cup of wine?? Thanks!
Absolutely you can! If you don’t want to use the wine, chicken stock is the perfect option!
Jo this recipe was amazing! I finally got the try it! I wanted to ask, what do you use to measure the rice? Is it a jasmine rice cup or a baking measuring cup?
I also made it over a gas element and it burnt on the bottom at the necessary heat temperature! Just wondering if you can give me a suggestion on how to prevent this next time?
I’m not sure what a jasmine rice cup is, but you use just a regular measuring cup. Keep in mind that the bottom of the rice should be crispy/crunchy for a paella. If it’s too burnt I would simply turn down the heat a bit.
Omg!!! I’ve never made paella before, but you explained it so simply that I worked up the courage to give it a shot. Well I ROCKED!! 😂🤣 This recipe is so easy, I made it in 20 minutes. I bought the tiny, cheap, frozen, seafood bag in case I ruined it, it wouldn’t hurt me as much🤦🏻♀️ This was delish!! I wish I could show u a pic of how beautiful it turned out. THANK YOU!
** btw I didn’t have saffron, so I substituted with turmeric AMAZING!!
So glad you liked the recipe!
My first attempt at a Paella and the family loved it, thank you, great recipe.
Absolutely delicious! I had made paella only once many years ago. This recipe is better, so flavorful. I used shrimp and scallops for the seafood and also used the chicken thighs. I don’t like the seafood so I ate just the chicken. My husband is crazy about seafood and really enjoyed this.
This was my first time making Paella. It was one of the best dishes I’ve made. Thank you for the receipe!
My pleasure, so glad you enjoyed it!
I love this recipe! I didn’t have a big enough pan so I used a medium pot with a nonstick lining, took a little longer to cook everything but it came out perfect! I made it with spicy Italian sausage and fresh mussels, shrimp, and scallops. Used cayenne instead of hot sauce and 2 cups of rice. Easy to make and tastes so good!
I’m so glad to hear it!
I’ve been cooking this paella for years at deer camp! I use a 14″ cast iron skillet and cook it on a 22′ Weber grill. It’s amazing how similar our two paellas are. Instead of hot sauce, I put in one whole uncut jalapeno pepper for each person. Being uncut it does not add heat to the paella. I dice plum tomatoes instead of using fire roasted tomatoes. It’s almost the same because the paella is cooked on a grill which imparts a natural smoke flavor throughout. I use linguica portugese sausage because everyone liked it better than the chorizo I tried. The cast iron skillet also made great a crust on the bottom which like you everyone loved scraping it off the bottom. Everything else is the same except I finish with sliced asparagus and peas on top. I’m glad so many ppl like your recipe.
I’ve never made this and am excited to do so. I am not a big fan of chorizo or clams. Am thinking of,Italian sausage (beef or pork?) or kielbasa. Could I do lobster or scallops instead of clams/mussels – which aren’t easy to,get in AZ. Jo your recipes are the best and make up half of my weekly menus. Thank u.
You can add whatever works best for you! No harm in customizing a recipe to make it your own!
Hello! I would like to make this wonderful sounding Chicken and Seafood Paella recipe next weekend for a family party, Would you recommend another seafood in place of clams and mussels?
You can use some scallops or cubed pieces of fish!
I’ve made many great versions of chicken chorizo seafood paella, including the much heralded America’s Test Kitchen dutch oven version that was my favorite. That is until now. I made this recipe, but subbed the bivalves (mussels/clams) with sea scallops. Got rave reviews by my guests and hubby. I found my new fav version for making paella in the future. Thanks for this much easier and quicker version of a dinner party favorite!
I made this dish as a request for Father’s Day. I am not a cook nor do I like to cook but I made this dish with love and it was well received. My husband and father in-law loved it! I wish I could include a picture because it really turned out well.
listen im a Puerto Rican for new york my father and my grandfather and my great grandfather use to make this dish right before my eyes andi loved it then and i love it now still well to make a long story short i left new york at a very young age but i could remmeber forgetting what that dish was called and for many years from east to west coast i would ask alk these people i would run intoand no one new what iwas talking about until i seen it i went out to the market bought every thing double made it tasted it and started to cry like a baby cause not only did i miss that taste but all the memory of my family hit at once anyway its a great dish thank you for taken me home
This is the first time I cook paella and I followed the recipe as stated and may I say say oh my god it was the best paella I’ve ever tried this was better than restaurants in Spain.
So glad you enjoyed it!