Paella

A festive Spanish rice dish from Valencia loaded with saffron-scented rice, chicken, chorizo, shrimp, and mussels, crowned with a prized crispy socarrat on the bottom.

Ingredients

• 2 cups bomba or Calasparra rice (or Arborio)
• 4 cups chicken broth, warmed
• ½ tsp saffron threads
• 1 lb bone-in chicken thighs, cut into pieces
• 6 oz Spanish chorizo, sliced into rounds
• ¾ lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 12 mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup frozen peas
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1.5 tsp salt

Method

1. Steep saffron in the warm broth for at least 10 minutes. Season chicken pieces with salt and smoked paprika.
2. Heat olive oil in a 15-inch paella pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken pieces until golden brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3. In the same pan, cook chorizo slices until lightly crisped, about 2 minutes. Remove and set aside with the chicken.
4. Add onion and bell pepper to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in the diced tomatoes and cook until most of the liquid evaporates, about 4 minutes.
5. Add the rice to the pan and stir to coat in the sofrito for 2 minutes. Pour in the saffron broth and season with salt. Nestle the chicken and chorizo into the rice. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low. Do not stir from this point forward.
6. Cook uncovered for 18 minutes until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. After 12 minutes, arrange the shrimp and mussels on top of the rice, pushing them in slightly. Scatter peas around the pan.
7. Increase heat to medium-high for the last 2 minutes to develop the socarrat (crispy bottom layer). You should hear a gentle crackling. Remove from heat.
8. Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel or foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Discard any mussels that did not open. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.

Chef's note: The key to socarrat is resisting the urge to stir. If you cannot find bomba rice, Arborio works but will be slightly creamier. Use the widest pan you have so the rice cooks in a thin, even layer.

Nutrition per serving

More Spanish recipes

• Gazpacho
• Patatas Bravas