Best Chicken Paella Recipes

CHICKEN & CHORIZO PAELLA

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a deep frying pan over a high heat. Brown the chicken all over - don't cook completely. Once browned, transfer to a plate.
• Reduce the heat to low, add the onions and cook slowly until softened, about 10 mins. Add the garlic, stir for 1 min, then toss in the chorizo and fry until it releases its oils.
• Stir in the spices, then tip in the rice. Stir to coat the rice in the oils and spices for about 2 mins, then pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, return the chicken to the pan and simmer for about 20 mins, stirring occasionally.
• Add the peas to the pan and simmer for a further 5 mins until the rice is cooked and the chicken is tender. Season well and serve with the lemon and parsley.

QUICK PAELLA WITH CHORIZO, SHRIMP AND CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook until it releases its fat. 8 to 10 minutes. Add the chicken, onions and garlic and brown the chicken on all sides, about 10 minutes.
• Add the rice and toast for 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste, followed by the saffron and then the wine, stirring. Add the chicken stock, cover and cook--no stirring--for 20 to 25 minutes. By then the rice should be almost done.
• Add the shrimp, mussels and peas and continue to cook until the rice is fluffy and the mussels have opened. Season with salt and pepper. Finish with the scallions and serve.

EASY CHICKEN AND SHRIMP PAELLA

Steps:

• Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over medium-high. Working in batches, cook chicken (do not crowd pot) until browned, 7 to 8 minutes, turning once. Transfer to a plate (reserve pot); set aside.
• Place bell pepper, chorizo, onion, garlic, and tomatoes (with their juice) in pot; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Add rice; cook, stirring, until translucent around edges, 1 to 2 minutes. Add broth and chicken; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cover, and cook until rice begins to soften, about 10 minutes. Add peas and shrimp, submerging them in liquid. Cover and cook until shrimp are opaque throughout, 4 to 6 minutes.

PAELLA WITH CHICKEN, CHORIZO AND SHRIMP

Steps:

• In a mortar or food processor, grind parsley, almonds and garlic to a paste. Set aside. Place stock in saucepan, add saffron, bring to simmer and remove from heat.
• Heat oil in 17-inch paella pan, on two burners if necessary, or in two 13-inch pans. Add chorizo and saute until heated through. Remove from pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper, place in pan and saute until nicely browned, leaving legs and thighs in pan a little longer than breast pieces. Remove chicken. Lower heat. Saute onion and leek until soft but not brown.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add red and yellow peppers to paella pan. When soft, add tomatoes and wine. When most of the liquid has evaporated, add paprika and rice and stir to coat. Add stock mixture and stir. Simmer 5 minutes.
• Fold in parsley mixture, beans and chorizo. Add chicken and simmer another 5 minutes. Arrange shrimp on top. Place in oven about 15 minutes, until chicken and rice are cooked.
• Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil and set aside 10 minutes. Garnish with olives and serve.

PAELLA WITH SEAFOOD, CHICKEN, AND CHORIZO

Steps:

• Rinse the chicken pieces and pat them dry. Mix the oregano and paprika with some salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture all over the pieces of chicken; marinate for 30 minutes so the flavor can sink in a bit.
• Heat the olive oil in a paella pan or wide shallow skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the pan, skin-side down and brown on all sides, turning with tongs. Add the chorizo and continue to cook until the oil is a vibrant red color. Remove the chicken and sausage to a platter lined with paper towels.
• Return the pan to the stove and lower the heat to medium. Make a sofrito by sauteing the garlic, onion, and tomatoes; cook until the mixture caramelizes a bit and the flavors meld; season with salt and pepper. Fold in the rice, stirring to coat the grains. Stir the saffron into the rice. Pour in the water and simmer for 10 minutes, gently moving the pan around so the rice cooks evenly and absorbs the liquid. Do not cover or constantly stir like risotto.
• Add the shrimp, lobster, clams, the reserved chicken, and the chorizo. Give the paella a couple of good stirs to tuck in all the pieces and just let it simmer, without stirring, until the rice is al dente, about 15 minutes. Scatter the peas on top and continue to cook for 5 minutes, until the paella looks fluffy and moist. The ideal paella has a toasted rice bottom called socarrat. Allow to rest, off the heat for 5 minutes, and garnish with parsley. Serve with lemon wedges.

SEAFOOD, CHICKEN, AND CHORIZO PAELLA

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add zucchini and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add shallot and cook until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until very lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add rice and toast about 1 minute. Add canned tomatoes, mix well, and cook for 1 minute. Add water, chili powder, cumin, saffron, salt, and black pepper. Mix well. Add bay leaf. Cover the saucepan and cook until rice is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Add 1/4 can of peas to cooked rice mixture and mix well. Partially cover saucepan to allow steam to release and set aside.
• Heat oil in a large paella pan over medium heat. Add chorizo; cook and stir until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Move cooked chorizo to the outside of the pan. Add chicken and cook until mostly cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. While chicken is cooking, add bell peppers, serrano peppers, onion, and diced tomato. Move cooked chicken to the outside of the pan.
• Add shrimp to the paella pan. Add a small amount of water if there is not enough moisture in the pan. Cook shrimp 2 minutes per side. Add scallops and cook 2 minutes more.
• Reduce heat under the paella pan to medium-low. Mix all ingredients in the pan together in a triumphant manner, forming a glorious mixture. Add finished rice in a layer on top of the mixture in the paella pan. Continue cooking 2 to 4 minutes more, until all meat, chicken, and seafood have been cooked through. Add avocado and cilantro, mix together, and serve.

PAELLA WITH CHORIZO, SHRIMP, CLAMS AND CHICKEN WITH GARLIC AIOLI

Steps:

• For the paella: Add the chicken stock, saffron threads and shrimp shells to a medium saucepan and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, coat the paella pans generously with olive oil. Add the chorizo, dividing it between the two pans. Set the pans over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the chorizo is crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the chicken to the pans and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is beginning to brown, but isn't cooked all the way through.
• Add the garlic, celery, onions, peppers and tomato to a food processor and pulse until chopped into a coarse paste. Add to the paella pans and cook until all of the liquid has evaporated and the veggies are soft and slightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the peas and cook 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add about 1/2 cup of the stock to each pan and stir, making sure to scrape up the fond from the bottom of the pans. Season to taste with salt. Add about another cup of the stock to each pan, then bring the liquid to a boil.
• Add the rice and stir until thoroughly combined. Nestle the clams into the rice and cook for 5 minutes. Nestle the shrimp into the rice and simmer until the shrimp are pink and cooked through and the clams have fully opened, 5 minutes.
• For the aioli: Meanwhile, add the vinegar, garlic and egg yolks to a food processor and process until combined. With the machine running, slowly add the oil to emulsify the mixture. Season to taste with salt.
• For serving: Garnish with the chives and a drizzle of aioli.

CHICKEN PAELLA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute the chicken, ham, onion and red pepper in 2 teaspoons oil until chicken is browned on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon. , In the same skillet, saute rice in remaining 1 teaspoon oil until lightly browned. Stir in the turmeric, cumin, garlic and salt. Return meat and vegetables to pan; toss lightly. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cover and simmer until rice is tender, 30-35 minutes. Stir in peas.

CHICKEN AND CHORIZO PAELLA ON THE GRILL

Steps:

• Place chicken on a plate and season with 1/2 teaspoon paprika, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat a grill for medium heat. Place a large paella pan on the grate. Heat about 1 tablespoon olive oil in the pan. Add chicken; sear until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Remove chicken and wrap in aluminum foil.
• Heat remaining olive oil in the pan. Add tomatoes, onion, chorizo, and garlic. Cook until tomato juices are mostly reduced, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in remaining paprika, turmeric, saffron, and oregano. Add rice and cook for 5 minutes. Pour in 4 cups chicken stock; increase heat to high. Stir once and close the grill lid. Cook until the rice on the bottom becomes crispy, about 8 minutes.
• Scrape the bottom of the pan and turn rice over 4 or 5 times until a crust forms at the bottom. Add bell pepper, string beans, and the chicken thighs. Pour in remaining chicken stock. Stir and flip rice until stock is absorbed and rice is tender, 10 to 15 minutes more. Garnish with almonds.

CHICKEN PAELLA

Steps:

• In a large deep non-stick skillet, or a paella pan with cover, warm olive oil over medium-high heat.
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper on all sides.
• Add the chicken, and brown on all sides.
• Remove chicken; set aside.
• Add in the onion and garlic, saute until translucent.
• Stir in the rice, cook for 1 minute.
• Add in tomatoes, chicken broth, capers and the cayenne pepper.
• Press chicken pieces down into the liquid.
• Cover the pan, and bring the liquid to a slow simmer; reduce the heat to very low.
• Cook until the rice is tender (about 30-40 minutes).
• Top with olives and peas; stir very gently.
• Arrange the pepper strips on top of the paella.
• Cover the pan again, cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the peas are hot.

QUICK CHICKEN AND CHORIZO PAELLA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Heat oil in a large casserole or paella pan over high heat. Add chorizo and cook until browned and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add onion, red bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 3 minutes.
• Add rice (medium or short grain rice), pimenton, saffron, and bay leaves. Stir to combine and coat the rice, about 1 minute. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add roast chicken, frozen peas, and tomato; stir to combine.
• Transfer skillet to oven. Cook uncovered until rice is tender and no liquid remains, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Fluff with a fork and serve immediately.

CHICKEN AND SEAFOOD PAELLA

Steps:

• In a large stock pot over high heat add 2 tablespoons oil. Add the chicken thighs and ham hocks and brown thighs on both sides. Remove chicken to a plate, leaving the ham hocks in the pot. Add to pot 1 cup of onions, celery, carrots and garlic and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Deglaze with white wine and reduce by half. Next add the seafood stock, saffron and 2 quarts of water and let simmer for 2 hours or until reduced by half. When stock is finished simmering, strain and hold stock on low heat.
• In a large saute pan or paella pan add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, chorizo, red bell pepper and the remaining 1 cup onion, cook until the onions are translucent, but do not brown. Add rice, salt and pepper to pan and saute until all grains of rice are coated with oil of the pan. Form rice around the pan so it is level, next add 1 cup of broth at a time to the rice; do not stir the rice. When rice is al dente, or 3/4 of the way of being fully cooked, add chicken thighs, shrimp, scallops, mussels, and clams. Bury the seafood items in the rice so they will cook.
• Add final cup of broth and cover entire pan tightly with another pan or lid. Let sit off heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until seafood is cooked.
• Garnish with scallions and Roma tomatoes

SPANISH PAELLA (WITH CHICKEN AND SEAFOOD)

Steps:

• Heat 3 tbsp oil in large skillet on medium high heat.
• Add chicken pieces and fry 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden.
• Remove from skillet and season with salt and pepper.
• Add onions and peppers to skillet.
• Sauté 2 minutes.
• Stir in garlic, paprika and thyme.
• Sauté 1 minute and add shrimp.
• Sauté until shrimp turn pink.
• Add 1 Tbsp oil if needed.
• Sprinkle rice into pan.
• Sauté, stirring frequently 2 to 3 minutes or until coated with oil.
• Stir in tomatoes.
• Season well.
• Combine stock and saffron and stir into rice mixture.
• Bring to boil.
• Boil for about 2 minutes, reduce heat to medium.
• Return chicken and push down into rice.
• Cook uncovered for 15 minutes.
• Stock should be bubbling.
• Stir rice around and add shrimp, lima beans, red peppers and clams.
• Cook for 10 minutes longer.
• Remove from heat and cover for 10 minutes.
• To serve, sprinkle with parsley and garnish with lemon wedges and green onions.

CHICKEN AND CHORIZO PAELLA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Warm stock, saffron, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Season chicken with 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the pimenton. Heat oil in a 14-inch paella pan or a high-sided ovenproof skillet over high heat. Brown chicken for 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a plate.
• Pour out all but 1 teaspoon oil. Cook chorizo over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add onion and garlic. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until thick, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice, then add broth mixture. Bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add peas, then chicken. Bake for 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes.

BROWN RICE, CHICKEN, AND CHORIZO PAELLA

Steps:

• Measure salt, paprika, red pepper, turmeric, and saffron into a small bowl and set spice mixture aside.
• Heat olive oil in paella pan or large pot over medium heat. Add chicken and chorizo and cook until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer meat to a platter. Add onion, bell pepper, parsley, and garlic to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add rice, tomato, and roasted red peppers. Cook until rice begins to brown, about 5 minutes more. Add spice mixture and broth. Return chicken and chorizo to the pot, burying them in the paella.
• Increase heat to high and bring the pot to a boil, stirring every 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, 50 to 55 minutes more. Add thawed peas and carrots, black olives, capers, and apple cider vinegar and stir. Cook until everything is heated through, 3 to 5 more minutes.

PAELLA (BEEF, CHICKEN AND CHORIZO)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Brown chicken with salt and pepper in separate skillet over med-high heat until cooked through (about 10 minutes). Set aside and keep warm.
• Brown skirt steak with salt and pepper in separate skillet over med-high heat until medium rare (about 5 minutes). Set aside and keep warm.
• Using paella pan (enamel/cast iron/dutch) with olive oil over med-high heat sauté onions, garlic, bell pepper, and chorizo until chorizo is browned (about 10 minutes).
• Add rice, stock, turmeric, saffron and bring to a boil.
• Add the previously set aside proteins and frozen peas, stir all ingredients combined. Immediately place into preheated 400 degree oven for 20-30 minutes (or until liquid has evaporated).
• Serve immediately.

SEAFOOD-AND-CHICKEN PAELLA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in lowest position. In a saucepan, combine broth, saffron (if using), and paprika; bring to a simmer and keep warm.
• In a large skillet (at least 12 inches wide), heat oil over medium. Season chicken with salt and pepper. When oil is very hot, cook chicken, skin side down, until skin is golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip, spoon off all but 1 teaspoon fat from skillet, and push chicken to side.
• Add chorizo to skillet and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Add rice; stir to coat thoroughly with tomato-chorizo mixture. Stir in hot broth and 1/2 teaspoon salt (skillet will be very full). Arrange chicken evenly on top, making sure rice is submerged. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring rice occasionally, 8 minutes. Nestle mussels in cooking liquid and cook 2 minutes more. Arrange shrimp on top.
• Place skillet in oven and cook until all liquid is absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Let paella stand 10 minutes before serving.

CHICKEN PAELLA

Steps:

• For the chicken: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Heat a large enameled cast-iron pot over medium-high heat, and add the oil. Mix the chili powder, cumin and coriander together in a bowl. Sprinkle the chicken liberally with salt and pepper and the spice mixture. Add the chicken to the pot, skin-side down, and sear until the skin is golden brown; flip, and sear for another 3 minutes. Remove the chicken thighs to a small baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Remove and let rest.
• For the rice: Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in the pot that was used for the chicken. Add the onions, peppers, celery, marjoram and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions become translucent, then add the garlic; cook for another 3 minutes. Add tomato puree and cook for 2 minutes. Add the rice and saute for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer. Place in the oven and cook for 20 minutes, or until rice is cooked.
• Let the rice sit for at least 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Add the cilantro, and season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Garnish with avocado and olives.

SHELLFISH AND CHICKEN PAELLA WITH SAFFRON RICE CHORIZO AND GREEN PEAS

Steps:

• For the aioli:
• Place the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, egg yolks, lemon juice and zest in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Slowly add the oil, drop by drop at first, until thickened. Season with salt and white pepper, to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the paella:
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the tomatoes in a small baking dish and drizzle with the honey, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and salt and pepper, and roast until soft. Set aside.
• Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan and add a large pinch of saffron. Put about 1/2 cup of the stock in another saucepan, add the clams, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook just until the clams open; remove the clams from the liquid and set aside, reserving the liquid.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a very large skillet or paella pan over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and add to the heated pan. Cook until browned on all sides. Remove the chicken pieces to a plate. Add the chorizo, onion and garlic and saute until chorizo has browned and the onions are translucent.
• Add the rice, about 7 1/2 cups of the chicken stock, the reserved clam liquid, and any juices from the chicken and bring to a simmer. Nestle the chicken in the rice and let cook, uncovered, until the rice is quite al dente, about 15 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer-the rice on the bottom of the pan should form a dark brown crispy crust by the end of the cooking time. If the stock is disappearing too quickly, just add a bit more of the remaining 2 cups.
• Add the mussels, shrimp, octopus, squid, and/or cuttlefish, and peas. Cook until the shrimp are pink and the mussels open. Add the lobster, clams and roasted tomatoes and heat briefly. At this point, you should still be able to see liquid bubbling gently; it will settle when you turn off the heat. Fold in the parsley and lemon aioli and mix until combined, season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• *RAW EGG WARNING
• Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs. Due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.

CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE PAELLA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a saucepan, heat the broth over moderate heat; keep warm.
• In a large, shallow skillet or a paella pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderate heat. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, add to the skillet and saute for about 5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Remove and drain.
• Add the garlic and sausage slices to the pan and saute for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until brown. Remove the sausage, drain on paper towels and set aside.
• Place the skillet back over moderate heat and add the remaining tablespoon of oil if needed. Add the onion and red pepper and saute for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is golden brown.
• Add the rice and stir to coat it well with the oil and vegetables. Add the parsley and the bay leaf and stir in the warm broth and the peas. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, over moderately high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Mix in the chicken and sausage. Sprinkle the dish with paprika. Place the paella in the oven and bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked. Serve with lemon wedges.