Description
A fast, forgiving, and restaurant-quality weeknight paella made in a single skillet. This dish features tender chicken, spicy chorizo, and golden saffron rice, ready in just 30 minutes with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 6 ounces Spanish-style chorizo, sliced into half-moons
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 cups Arborio or Bomba rice
- 1 teaspoon high-quality saffron threads
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, heated
- 1 cup peas (frozen or fresh)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Optional: ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Optional: Fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Cut chicken, dice onion, mince garlic, and slice chorizo.
- Bloom saffron: Pour ½ cup of hot broth over saffron threads in a small bowl and let sit for 5-10 minutes until the liquid is vibrant yellow.
- Sear chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken pieces in batches until golden brown (3-4 minutes per side). Remove to a plate.
- Cook chorizo: In the same pan, cook chorizo for 2-3 minutes until it releases red oil. Remove to the plate with the chicken.
- Sauté aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to the pan and cook until soft (2-3 minutes). Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Toast rice: Add rice to the pan and stir with onions and garlic for 1-2 minutes until slightly translucent.
- Simmer: Stir in remaining broth, bloomed saffron, and peas. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Return chicken and chorizo to the pan, nestling them into the rice. Cover tightly and simmer for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Rest: Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Finish: Sprinkle with Parmesan (if using) and garnish with parsley. Serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
Do not stir the rice after adding liquid to prevent gumminess. Use hot broth to maintain cooking temperature. For a crispy bottom (socarrat), remove the lid for the last 2 minutes and increase heat to medium-high. Ensure chorizo is Spanish-style, not Mexican crumbles.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Spanish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 25
Keywords: one-pot paella, chicken and chorizo, saffron rice, weeknight dinner, easy paella, spanish rice, skillet dinner