My first paella was in Spain! Barcelona to be exact, we were on holiday trying out tapas and other local dishes. I remember thinking "that looks like jollof rice!" It was topped with langoustine and an assortment of shellfish. There were only 2 langoustines, it was so good! I wanted more! I don't know why i didn't leave Spain with a paella pan, it took me a while to acquire one before i realized it could also be cooked in a cast iron skillet. Enjoy this recipe at home, with as much seafood as you like or your favourite combination of meats and vegetables. This delicious dish is a different level of enjoyment!
15 minPrep Time
25 minCook Time
40 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 300g Arborio rice
- 600ml hot chicken stock
- 1 Onion (fine dice)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ tsp Saffron
- 16 large prawns (cleaned, tail on)
- 8 Mussels (scrubbed and debearded)
- 12 Clams
- 16 Calamari rings
- 200g skinless boneless chicken thighs (Cut in thirds)
- 100g Chorizo (diced)
- 1 bell pepper (diced)
- ¼ cup frozen peas
- 40g Tomato puree
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- Salt (as required)
- Black pepper (as required)
- 30ml white wine (optional)
- Lemon juice (optional)
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons chopped parsley (garnish)
- Lemon wedges (garnish)
Instructions
- In a saucepan, bring about ¼- ½ cup of salted water to a boil, add mussels and clams, cover and cook for 2 minutes. All the shells should be opened, discard any shells that do not open. Set them aside.
- Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Crumble the saffron strands and add to hot chicken stock to infuse.
- Heat up a paella pan or non-stick skillet, add 1 tablespoon of oil and brown the chicken thighs on both sides. Set them aside.
- Add the remaining oil and sweat onions and garlic on medium heat. Add the rice and keep cooking on medium heat.
- Add bell pepper and chorizo and keep cooking.
- Deglaze the pan with white wine (if using) and add tomato puree.
- Add the infused chicken stock. Season with salt, pepper and paprika. Return chicken to the pan and reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover pot with aluminium foil and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and rice is al dente, about 15 minutes.
- Layer calamari rings around the top and cover for 1 minute. Season prawns with salt and pepper and layer them on top of the rice. Add the rest of the seafood and cover for about 5 minutes so that the steam cooks the prawns and warms the mussels and clams through. Shatter peas over the top and cover for a further 2 minutes to warm it through.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Serve immediately. Enjoy.
Notes
If your liquid is drying out too quickly and your rice is not nearly cooked, reduce heat and add more stock. Your paella may burn a little at the bottom, that's okay too, loads of flavour, grab a spoon and tuck in.
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