This delicious Spanish Paella is a modern take on a classic! Arborio rice is cooked with a vibrant saffron broth and mixed with chicken, chorizo, and shrimp. This one-pot meal is an impressive dinner option whether you’re entertaining or having date night in!
It’s springtime and all I want to do is sip rosé, open my windows, wear sunshiney clothing, and eat equally sunshiney meals.
ENTER PAELLA!
Pie-yay-ya. The Spanish one pot masterpiece.
Also filed under: things I enjoy devouring.
Fluffy saffron scented rice is tossed with red pepper, peas, chicken, chorizo, shrimp, lobster, or some other type of fabulous shellfish. Regardless of the list of ingredients, this is a surprisingly simple dish comprised of two cooking techniques: sautéing and simmering.
- First, we saute the chorizo and chicken.
- Next, we saute the onion, garlic, and pepper.
- Then, we cook the rice.
- Lastly, we stir in the shrimp and peas and allow everything to come together.
Thank you, next!
I love one pot dishes like this that allow me to get a few things done in the kitchen they cook.
- As the chicken, chorizo, and shrimp are cooking, I pour myself a glass of wine. A Spanish wine to be precise. (Come on, we’re making paella after all).
- As the veggies sweat out, I’m prepping extra veg to have on hand for munching throughout the week.
- As the rice cooks away, I’m cleaning countertops and loading the dishwasher. And poring myself another glass of wine.
- As peas, chicken, chorizo, and shrimp are added to cook in the heat of the fluffy rice, I’m setting the table.
And then, magically, dinner is served, snacks are prepped for the week, and the kitchen is clean.
SHOULD WE HAVE PAELLA EVERY NIGHT?!
Why, yes. In fact…you should.
And now you CAN with this recipe! And trust me. All those ingredients you’re thinking “you have no idea where to find”, are actually quite common and can be found at a certain grocery store that rhymes with “Lader Moe’s”. Look it up.
Here’s to hoping you find warm weather, sunny skies, and full plates. Even if it’s by way of this Paella.
Spanish Paella
This delicious Spanish Paella is a modern take on a classic! Arborio rice is cooked with a vibrant saffron broth and mixed with chicken, chorizo, and shrimp. This one-pot meal is an impressive dinner option whether you're entertaining or having date night in!
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 pinch saffron
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 links chorizo, sliced
- 2 chicken breasts, cubed in to bite sized pieces
- 1/2-3/4 lb shrimp
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 2 tsp smoked paprika divided
- 1 cup green peas
- parsley for serving
- Wedges of lemon, for serving
Instructions
- Add chicken broth to a sauce pan, add saffron. Allow to steep and warm through as you prepare the other ingredients.
- In a large dutch oven pan or special paella pan, drizzle olive oil, adding chorizo. Sauté until fragrant and some of the oils from the chorizo release, about 2 minutes. Remove chorizo from pan. Add additional oil if needed.
- Add cubed chicken breast, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from pan. Add additional oil if needed.
- Season shrimp with salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika. Add to sauté pan, cooking until they just turn pink. They will continue to cook in pan later. Remove shrimp from pan. Add additional oil if needed.
- Add onion, sautéing 1 minute. Add garlic and red pepper, sautéing until all vegetables are softened. Add arborio rice, tossing to combine.
- Add saffron broth to pan slowly. Cover and allow to cook for 20 minutes, watching to ensure rice doesn't overcook or burn.
- Once rice has cooked, add peas, along with the chorizo, chicken, and shrimp back to the pan. Add in remaining 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika. Toss to combine.
- Serve with lemon wedges, chopped parsley, and crisp white wine. Enjoy!