SERVINGS: 6
Paella is a well-known dish of Spain. Most people are intimidated by it not knowing that they can easily make this in their kitchen using only simple ingredients such as rice, saffron, vegetables, chicken, and seafood. Fall in love all over again in this delicious, authentic paella!
Ingredients
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½ pound Jumbo Shrimp or prawns, about 12 (peeled, tail on)
1/2 pound Mussels (about 10-12), cleaned properly (beards off)
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into pieces
1/4 c. Extra virgin olive oil (or Spanish EVOO)
1 Onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced (you can use ½ red and ½ green)
2 c. Spanish Rice
3 Roma tomatoes, very finely diced (or 8 ounces tomato sauce)
4 cloves Garlic
1 tsp paprika, sweet or smoked
1 pinch saffron threads
¼ c. white wine
¼ c. flat-leaf Parsley chopped, divided
1/2 c. frozen peas
5 c. Chicken Broth
8 ounces calamari rings
Bay leaf
Lemons, for garnish
Salt and pepper
How to make Spanish Paella
Step 1: To a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, bell peppers, and garlic to the skillet. Cook until the onion is transparent. Now, add the chopped tomato along with bay leaf, paprika, saffron salt, and pepper. Stir and continue to cook for additional 5 minutes. Pour in the white wine and cook for 10 minutes more. If needed, add more salt.
Step 2: To the pot, add the chicken pieces, 2 tbsp chopped parsley, and rice. Cook for about a minute before gradually pouring in the broth all around the pan, jiggling the pan to make sure the rice gets into an even layer. DO NOT STIR the mixture forward. Bring the mixture to a boil, then decrease the heat to medium-low. During cooking, remember to give the pan a gentle shake once or twice.
Step 3: Continue to cook for approximately 15 to 18 minutes, uncovered. Add the shrimp, mussels, and calamari into the mixture, then sprinkle the peas over. Cook for another 5 minutes without stirring. You can add 1/4 cup extra water or broth if the rice is still not cooked and continue cooking until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice at the top is almost tender.
Step 4: When done, take the pan off the heat. Put the lid on or cover with tinfoil. Lay a kitchen towel on the lid and let it rest for at least 10 minutes.
Step 5: Serve garnished with some fresh parsley and slices of lemon. Enjoy!
Notes:
I recommend using Spanish rice (aka bomba rice, Calasparra rice, Arroz Redonda) for a traditional Paella. If needed, you can replace them with medium grain rice such as Calrose rice. If using Calrose rice, decrease the broth to 3 ¾ cups.
For the meat, you can either use pork, turkey, rabbit, chorizo, or combination.
It’s more convenient to use chicken broth as a substitute for authentic paella fish broth from discarded shells or seafood.
For this recipe, you can use your favourite seafood combination, such as clams, scallops, and chopped pieces of fish. You can also use frozen seafood. Thaw it overnight before using. Or omit the seafood and replace it with more chicken or veggies.
Make sure to buy only high-quality saffron as it is the most important ingredient in this paella.
Adaptations:
For the rice, you can use medium-grain rice if needed such as Calrose rice. Just decrease the chicken stock to a total of 3 ¾ cups.
You can use boneless pork loin sliced into half-inch cubes, First, brown the pieces of pork in hot oil. Set aside when done, then saute the vegetables. Before boiling, return the pork to the pan.
Use turkey or rabbit, too. In the hot oil, brown the meat. Set it aside when done, then saute the veggies. Before boiling, return the meat to the pan.
Brown the 1 chorizo sausage sliced into half-inch dish. Set aside when done, then saute the veggies, Return the chorizo to the pan before boiling.
To make a vegetarian paella, omit the seafood and add more veggies such as artichoke, green beans, mushrooms, olives, and asparagus. In step one, add the veggies along with the bell peppers.
This Valenciana Paella is typically made with rabbit, chicken, artichokes, and green beans.
Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 535kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 260mg | Sodium: 1159mg | Potassium: 805mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1408IU | Vitamin C: 58mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 4mg
Ingredients
- ½ pound Jumbo Shrimp or prawns, about 12 (peeled, tail on)
- 1/2 pound Mussels (about 10-12), cleaned properly (beards off)
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into pieces
- 1/4 c. Extra virgin olive oil (or Spanish EVOO)
- 1 Onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced (you can use ½ red and ½ green)
- 2 c. Spanish Rice
- 3 Roma tomatoes, very finely diced (or 8 ounces tomato sauce)
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 1 tsp paprika, sweet or smoked
- 1 pinch saffron threads
- ¼ c. white wine
- ¼ c. flat-leaf Parsley chopped, divided
- 1/2 c. frozen peas
- 5 c. Chicken Broth
- 8 ounces calamari rings
- Bay leaf
- Lemons, for garnish
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Step 1: To a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, bell peppers, and garlic to the skillet. Cook until the onion is transparent. Now, add the chopped tomato along with bay leaf, paprika, saffron salt, and pepper. Stir and continue to cook for additional 5 minutes. Pour in the white wine and cook for 10 minutes more. If needed, add more salt.
Step 2: To the pot, add the chicken pieces, 2 tbsp chopped parsley, and rice. Cook for about a minute before gradually pouring in the broth all around the pan, jiggling the pan to make sure the rice gets into an even layer. DO NOT STIR the mixture forward. Bring the mixture to a boil, then decrease the heat to medium-low. During cooking, remember to give the pan a gentle shake once or twice.
Step 3: Continue to cook for approximately 15 to 18 minutes, uncovered. Add the shrimp, mussels, and calamari into the mixture, then sprinkle the peas over. Cook for another 5 minutes without stirring. You can add 1/4 cup extra water or broth if the rice is still not cooked and continue cooking until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice at the top is almost tender.
Step 4: When done, take the pan off the heat. Put the lid on or cover with tinfoil. Lay a kitchen towel on the lid and let it rest for at least 10 minutes.
Step 5: Serve garnished with some fresh parsley and slices of lemon. Enjoy!
Notes
I recommend using Spanish rice (aka bomba rice, Calasparra rice, Arroz Redonda) for a traditional Paella. If needed, you can replace them with medium grain rice such as Calrose rice. If using Calrose rice, decrease the broth to 3 ¾ cups. For the meat, you can either use pork, turkey, rabbit, chorizo, or combination. It’s more convenient to use chicken broth as a substitute for authentic paella fish broth from discarded shells or seafood. For this recipe, you can use your favourite seafood combination, such as clams, scallops, and chopped pieces of fish. You can also use frozen seafood. Thaw it overnight before using. Or omit the seafood and replace it with more chicken or veggies. Make sure to buy only high-quality saffron as it is the most important ingredient in this paella. Adaptations: For the rice, you can use medium-grain rice if needed such as Calrose rice. Just decrease the chicken stock to a total of 3 ¾ cups. You can use boneless pork loin sliced into half-inch cubes, First, brown the pieces of pork in hot oil. Set aside when done, then saute the vegetables. Before boiling, return the pork to the pan. Use turkey or rabbit, too. In the hot oil, brown the meat. Set it aside when done, then saute the veggies. Before boiling, return the meat to the pan. Brown the 1 chorizo sausage sliced into half-inch dish. Set aside when done, then saute the veggies, Return the chorizo to the pan before boiling. To make a vegetarian paella, omit the seafood and add more veggies such as artichoke, green beans, mushrooms, olives, and asparagus. In step one, add the veggies along with the bell peppers. This Valenciana Paella is typically made with rabbit, chicken, artichokes, and green beans.