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Classic Spanish Seafood Paella Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 99 reviews

A traditional Spanish paella featuring tender chicken, spicy chorizo, and fresh seafood simmered with aromatic saffron-infused rice and vegetables in a single skillet, perfect for a festive and flavorful meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Meat and Seafood

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 8 ounces Spanish chorizo, sliced into ½-inch rounds
  • 12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 dozen mussels, scrubbed and debearded

Vegetables and Aromatics

  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tomatoes, peeled and finely diced
  • ½ cup frozen peas
  • ½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided
  • Lemon wedges (optional, for serving)

Pantry and Spices

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (plus more if needed)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 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

Instructions

  1. Brown the chicken: In a 14-inch skillet or paella pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then brown them in the hot oil for about 5 to 7 minutes until nicely colored. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
  2. Cook the chorizo: Using the same pan, add the chorizo slices and cook until browned and fragrant. Remove the chorizo from the pan and set it aside with the chicken.
  3. Sauté the vegetables: Add more olive oil to the pan if needed. Sauté the chopped onion, red bell pepper, and minced garlic over medium heat until the onion is translucent and softened.
  4. Make the sofrito: Stir in the peeled and diced tomatoes and cook for an additional 3 minutes. This mixture forms the sofrito, which should be pushed to the sides of the pan to make space for the rice.
  5. Toast the rice: Add the short-grain rice to the center of the pan and toast it for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring gently to combine with the sofrito.
  6. Add broth and saffron: Pour the warmed chicken broth and scatter the saffron threads over the rice and vegetable mixture. Spread the ingredients evenly in the pan but avoid stirring from this point forward to allow the rice to cook properly.
  7. Return meats and season: Place the browned chicken pieces and chorizo back into the pan on top of the rice. Sprinkle smoked paprika and half of the chopped parsley evenly over everything. Gently shake the pan to settle the ingredients.
  8. Simmer the paella: Allow the paella to simmer on medium-low heat for about 15 minutes to cook the rice and develop flavor.
  9. Add peas and seafood: Sprinkle the frozen peas over the rice. Arrange the shrimp and mussels on top, gently pushing them down into the rice. Cook for another 10 minutes or until the shrimp are opaque and the mussels have opened. Discard any mussels that fail to open.
  10. Rest and garnish: Remove the pan from heat and cover it with a lid or foil. Let the paella rest for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld and for the rice to finish steaming. Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Notes

  • Use short-grain Spanish rice such as Bomba or Calasparra for the best texture.
  • Saffron is essential for authentic flavor and color, but it can be expensive—use sparingly.
  • Do not stir the rice after adding the broth to allow a crust (socarrat) to form at the bottom.
  • Ensure mussels are scrubbed and debearded properly before cooking.
  • Resting the paella covered helps the rice absorb all the liquid and flavors.
  • Serving with lemon wedges brightens the dish and adds a fresh contrast.

Keywords: paella, Spanish rice dish, chicken paella, seafood paella, saffron rice, traditional Spanish recipe

Find it online: https://flavorsbymaya.com/classic-spanish-seafood-paella-recipe/