Paella Recipe
User Reviews
4.5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
40 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
8
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Calories
386 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Dinner
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Cuisine
Spanish
Paella Recipe
Description
Paella Recipe starts by sautéing chicken thighs and chorizo pieces in olive oil seasoned with salt and pepper until the chicken is no longer pink. Onion and garlic are cooked separately in the same pan, softening and releasing sweetness.
Arborio rice and fire-roasted tomatoes are added and stirred, allowing the rice to absorb flavors and begin browning slightly. Then, a broth mixture with vegetable stock, smoked paprika, garlic, and saffron is poured in without stirring, ensuring the rice cooks evenly and the famed crispy layer forms at the bottom.
Mussels, shrimp, and scallops or clams are arranged atop the cooking rice, steaming through the residual heat to meld seafood flavor throughout. Fresh parsley and lemon wedges garnish the dish for brightness on serving.
The recipe notes the use of a wide paella pan for even cooking and recommends using good quality saffron for authentic aroma and flavor. The characteristic crispy rice layer, called socarrat, is achieved by not stirring during the cooking process.
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 black 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 Shrimp shelled and deveined but keep tails on, large
- 1 pound mussels scrubbed and soaked
- 1 pound scallops or clams
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped, fresh
- 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.
Notes
- Use arborio rice for its ability to absorb liquid and maintain texture during cooking.
- Vegetable broth results in a richer colored broth; chicken broth will lighten the color.
- A wide paella pan ensures an even single-layer cooking surface, essential for good socarrat (crispy crust).
- Do not stir the rice as it cooks to allow a toasty bottom crust to form.
- Use high-quality saffron sparingly to add authentic color and flavor.
- If seafood budget is limited, including mussels still provides substantial seafood flavor.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 386 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 386kcal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 41g | 14% |
| Protein | 32g | 64% |
| Fat | 9g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Trans Fat | 0.02g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 147mg | 49% |
| Sodium | 1414mg | 59% |
| Potassium | 515mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 949IU | 19% |
| Vitamin C | 15mg | 17% |
| Calcium | 78mg | 8% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.5
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