Paella Recipe
Indulge in the vibrant flavors of Spain with this mouthwatering Paella recipe. Tender chicken, spicy chorizo, succulent shrimp, juicy mussels, and delicate scallops come together beautifully with Arborio rice, fire-roasted tomatoes, and an aromatic blend of saffron and smoked paprika.
Servings: 8
Calories: 386kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 chicken thighs boneless and skinless cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 chorizo sausages cut into 1 inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon pepper or to taste
- 1 large onion chopped
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1½ cups arborio rice *
- 14 ounces diced fire roasted tomatoes 1 can
- 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth , low sodium
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce such as Tabasco or Sriracha, optional
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon saffron
- 1 pound large shrimp shelled and deveined but keep tails on
- 1 pound mussels scrubbed and soaked
- 1 pound scallops or clams
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Video
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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 386kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 1414mg | Potassium: 515mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 949IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 4mg