Paella Recipe

overhead view of paella garnished with lemon wedges.

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I love a one-pan rice dish, and this paella is the fanciest one I've ever had. Moist rice, veggies, and plenty of meats and seafoods—yum!

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

Total Time1 10

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Spanish

Servings:

Author: Sabine Venier

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil plus more if needed
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces Spanish chorizo* sliced into ½-inch rounds
1 onion finely chopped
1 red bell pepper seeded and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tomatoes peeled and finely diced
1½ cups short-grain Spanish rice** such as Bomba or Calasparra
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth warmed
1 pinch saffron threads***
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley divided
½ cup frozen peas
12 large shrimp**** peeled and deveined
1 dozen mussels***** scrubbed and debearded
lemon wedges optional, for serving

Instructions

In a 14-inch skillet or paella pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and brown for about 5-7 minutes. Remove the meat and set aside.
2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
In the same pan, add the chorizo and cook until browned. Remove and set aside with the chicken.
8 ounces Spanish chorizo*
Add more olive oil if needed and sauté onion, red bell pepper, and garlic until onion is translucent.
1 onion, 1 red bell pepper, 2 cloves garlic
Stir in the tomatoes and cook for an additional 3 minutes to create the sofrito. Push the sofrito to the sides of the pan.
2 tomatoes
Add the rice to the center of the pan and toast it for 1-2 minutes, then mix it with the sofrito.
1½ cups short-grain Spanish rice**
Pour in the warm chicken broth and saffron, spreading the rice and vegetables evenly in the pan. Do not stir after this point.
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 pinch saffron threads***
Return the chicken and chorizo to the pan and sprinkle over the smoked paprika and half of the parsley. Gently shake the pan to settle everything.
½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Simmer for about 15 minutes.
Then sprinkle the peas over the rice and arrange the shrimp and mussels on top, pushing them down into the rice slightly. Cook for another 10 minutes or until the seafood is cooked and the mussels have opened (discard any that don't open).
½ cup frozen peas, 12 large shrimp****, 1 dozen mussels*****
Remove from heat and cover the paella with a lid or foil. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side.
lemon wedges

Video

Notes

*I used Spanish chorizo, which is cooked and cured. If it’s not available, use a firm, dry-cured sausage like kielbasa, which can be sliced and used similarly.

**Bomba or Calasparra are the traditional for paella, but short-grain Arborio rice will work too. If using Arborio rice, reduce the amount of chicken broth to 3 cups.

***Saffron tends to be expensive, so if it's not in budget, you can color the rice with a mixture of turmeric and regular paprika.

****I like large peeled and deveined shrimp. If buying frozen, let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

*****I like black mussels because they are more flavorful, but green mussels also work. Again, if buying frozen, let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

Nutrition