Every time a chef on the Food Network made paella I would immediately change the channel. Since I don’t like seafood I thought I would never be one to eat paella. I was wrong. You see a few weeks ago at work I was browsing through the menu for our class and lo and behold, there was paella. To my surprise no seafood was involved. I was a bit astonished. I guess I had always seen mounds and mounds of seafood in paella and never thought it could be prepared in any other way. Again, I was wrong. In fact there are several different kinds, but really it is adaptable to individual tastes (duck, rabbit, pork, chicken, seafood, or vegetarian). Anyway, I was so impressed with the chicken and chorizo paella that I had to make it at home. One thing I love about this dish is that aside from cooking the meats, it really is a one dish wonder (always a plus when you’re the one that does the dishes). Since it is a main dish, we served ours up with a side salad and some fruit. It was super filling and full of great flavor! I hope you’ll give this a try, it’s a great meal for cooler weather and can be adjusted to serve a few or a crowd. Enjoy!
Chicken and Chorizo Paella Recipe
Layers of warm spice, tender meat, and golden rice make Chicken and Chorizo Paella a one-pan meal that’s rich, balanced, and satisfying without being heavy.
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Servings: 6
Calories: 708kcal
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 3-4 saffron threads
- 2 cups short-grain white rice - (I used Bom
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 lb dried chorizo - sliced into rounds
- 1 lb chicken - cooked and diced
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 yellow onion - diced
- 1 green bell pepper - diced
- 1 red bell pepper - diced
- 2 tomatoes - seeded and diced
- 1 cup frozen peas - thawed
- 4 teaspoon smoked Pimentón (Spanish paprika)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- salt and freshly ground black pepper - season to taste
Instructions
- In a medium-sized paella pan over medium heat, pour 2 tbsp. of olive oil into the pan and sprinkle in the saffron threads. Heat until fragrant (be careful not to burn). Add the garlic, onion, bell peppers, and tomato. Cook until soft, about 3–4 minutes.
- Add the remaining olive oil and pour in the rice. Stir until the rice is coated. Add the chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat. After about 15 minutes, add the chicken, chorizo, and peas. Cook until the broth is absorbed and the rice is tender. Cooking time will vary—for me, it took about 25–28 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Season with pimentón, cayenne pepper, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Serve immediately.
NOTES
STORE Paella with Chorizo and Chicken leftovers once completely cooled by transferring leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerating for up to 3–4 days. To FREEZE, portion into freezer-safe containers and store for up to 2 months.
REHEAT on the stove with a splash of broth or water to loosen the rice and bring back moisture. If reheating from frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge first, then warm gently in a covered pan. Avoid microwaving too long, as it can dry out the rice and change the texture.
Nutrition
Calories: 708kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 737mg | Potassium: 591mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4563IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 4mg
Adapted from Sur La Table, Chicken Shrimp and Chorizo Paella
What kind of chorizo?
The raw, crumbly Mexican kind, or the dried Spanish kind?
Sorry, the hard dried kind!
Just found this recipe and I felt compelled to say thank you. It was fantastic. My partner doesn’t like prawns and most paella receipes have prawns. He loved this recipe also. I had to substitute a few things but the flavor was amazing. I will definitely be making this again and again.
I made this last night and it was amazing! A little prep required, but the end result is totally worth it!
How many inches wide is a medium size paella pan? I’ve seen some really big ones, so just wonder what size range you are in. Thanks!
Hi Lori! Mine is 15″ but I know they make a 16.5″ too. Those would both be considered “medium.” I hope that helps 🙂
This sounds so good! I am not a fan of seafood so I am excited to see this recipe! I would love if you would come share it at my new linky party, FriDays Made Sweet! at CupcakesWithSprinkles.blogspot.com