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    Home » Rice

    Chicken and Chorizo Paella

    Published: Mar 10, 2021 · Modified: Mar 15, 2021 by Genevieve

    Jump to Recipe

    The crispy, caramelised bottom (the socarrat) is arguably the best part of paella. Not to mention the amazing flavours throughout the entire dish. What's more awesome is that you can create this at home without a paella pan! This chicken and chorizo paella recipe is cooked using a simple non-stick, shallow pan, a staple in most households.

    A plate of chicken and chorizo paella

    Look at that lovely golden and caramelised slab of rice from the bottom of the pan. This is what paella is all about!

    Alright, let's get into it.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • This is how you make it
    • Tips for making a great paella
    • Good to know (FAQs)
    • 📖 Recipe

    Ingredients

    Ingredients for this recipe
    • Short grain rice very very important! The authentic rice to use for paella is the Spanish bomba. If you're like me and have not been able to find the Spanish bomba at your local supermarkets, it's all good. You can use other types of short grain rice such as sushi rice or as I have, Sunrice's medium grain rice. Both of these absorb flavours extremely well. The only type of rice to avoid is long grain varieties. Long grain rice once cooked, come out separated and are not sticky enough to attach to other ingredients.
    • Chicken thighs do not recommend using chicken breasts as it'll get very tough and dry.
    • Chorizo is a fermented, cured Spanish sausage made of pork. They are spiced with paprika and are really tasty! Love chorizo? Check out my Chicken and Chorizo Pasta Bake! Or feel free to add chorizo into this weekend brunch favourite, Shakshuka with Feta.
    • Chicken stock use either homemade stock or stock powder. Can substitute with vegetable stock.

    This is how you make it

    It takes about 45 minutes to make this chicken and chorizo paella and thus it can easily be a delicious weeknight dinner or a family dinner on a relaxing Sunday.

    step by step instructions part 1

    How to get the paella bottom crispy

    For the bottom to crips up and caramelised, get generous with the extra virgin olive oil. Luckily it's one of the healthiest oils. Oh, and turn up the heat!

    Once the peas have been added and mixed through the rice, turn the heat up to high. Let it cook, undisturbed for about 4 to 5 minutes. Take a small peek by lifting the edge of the pan with a spatular and see if the bottom has started to turn golden. The cue to check is when you start hearing the little sizzling sound from the pan. That's when you know the magic is happening. Just make sure you keep both eyes on it as you don't want to burn the bottom too much!

    step by step instructions part 2

    Tips for making a great paella

    • Get generous with the extra virgin olive oil. This will help with crisping and caramelising the bottom of the pan.
    • Brown the chorizo and chicken. Crucial for depth and complexity of flavour.
    • Add paprika whilst the chorizo is being sauteed on high heat. This will help 'waken' the fragrant spice up and add another layer of flavour.
    • Cook uncovered. Important as it'll help the liquids to evaporate and prevent the rice from turning mushy. You want to rice to be sticky and at the same time, has the slightest bite to it. This will also help with getting the bottom crispy.
    • Let it be, don't stir. Save the stirring for the next time you're making risotto. Leaving it undisturbed will stop it from turning mushy and is crucial for the caramelised, crispy bottom.
    • Rinse the rice beforehand. This step removes excess rice starch and stops the rice from turning gummy. I don't see this step in a lot of paella recipes however, it's a technique I find works really well. Rice just tastes so much better when it had been rinsed before it's cooked. No matter the cooking method. Actually, except risotto. We want it creamy so high starch content will help with that.
    Pan of freshly cooked chicken and chorizo paella
    close up of lightly burnt rice from bottom of pan

    Good to know (FAQs)

    Do you have to put saffron in paella?

    Saffron adds a lightly sweet, earthy flavour and great colour to a paella. Being the most expensive spice out there, it's not used in this otherwise relatively budget-friendly recipe.

    Since there are so much flavour and colour already in this chicken and chorizo paella recipe, it's absence is not missed quite frankly.

    Do you need a paella pan to make paella?

    Nope! You just need a wide, shallow pan. An aluminium or just a regular skillet will be fine too. One thing to keep in mind is if your pan is quite heavy-based (like my Tefal pan), make sure to really crank up the heat.

    The thinner the pan, the easier it is for heat to transfer and thus the easier for a crispy bottom. Once the crispiness is achieved and heat turned off, the pan cools much faster (than heavy-based) and thus cooking process stops.

    If like me, you're not a pan scrubbing fan, use a non-stick pan.

    A plate of paella ready for serve

    Made this chicken and chorizo paella recipe? Let me know your thoughts or questions by dropping a note in the comments section below! I'd love to hear from you 🙂

    Happy cooking!

    Gen

    📖 Recipe

    A pan of chicken paella

    Chicken and Chorizo Paella

    The crispy, caramelised bottom (the socarrat) is arguably the best part of a paella. Not to mention the amazing flavours throughout the entire dish. What's more awesome is that you can create this at home without a paella pan!
    4.65 from 17 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Spanish
    Keyword: chicken paella
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 667kcal
    Author: Genevieve

    Equipment

    • Paella pan or a shallow, wide frying pan

    Ingredients

    • 500 g /1lbs chicken thighs, boneless, skinless ~4 large thighs, cut into rough 2.5cm/1inch cubes
    • 1 chorizo halved lengthways then cut into 1cm/½inch thick pieces
    • 1 red capsicum/pepper finely diced
    • 1½ cups short-grain rice rinsed (note 1)
    • 1 can diced tomatoes 400g/14oz
    • 1 cup frozen peas
    • 2 cups hot chicken stock vegetable stock is okay too
    • ½ cup white wine (note 2)
    • 1 onion finely diced
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 1½ teaspoon paprika
    • 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • salt and pepper to taste

    To garnish

    • ½ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • In a large shallow frying pan (or a paella pan, if you have one), add 2 tablespoon of olive oil, onions and garlic. Saute on medium heat for about 2 minutes or until onions becomes translucent.
    • Add chorizo, capsicum/pepper and paprika. Saute on high heat for about 5 minutes or until chorizo blisters and caramelises.
    • Push the chorizo and capsicum mixture to the rims of the pan, making room for the chicken. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Saute on high heat for about 3 minutes. Chicken should be browned but still raw on the inside.
    • Add rice, saute for 1 minute then pour in white wine. Allow wine to be reduced and absorbed by the rice. Stirring constantly, this will take about 3 minutes.
    • Add diced tomatoes and hot stock. Bring it up to boil then reduce heat down to medium and cook for 15 minutes. No lid and no need to stir throughout this time. (note 3)
    • By now, most of the liquids should have been absorbed. Mix in peas and stir through.
    • Turn the heat back up to high and allow the bottom of the pan to start caramelising and rice crisp up. About 4 - 5 minutes.
    • To serve, sprinkle fresh parsley on top.

    Notes

    Note 1. Rice to use for paella best rice to use is short grain rice such as sushi rice. The authentic rice is the Spanish bomba and is available at speciality stores. I couldn't find them at Coles, Woolies nor Aldi and so used Sunrice's medium grain rice. The result was still fantastic. 
    Note 2. White wine use any white wine that you would drink. I used a sauvignon blanc - it was just what I had in the fridge. 
    Note 3. Cook paella uncovered this is an important step when making a good paella. Unlike a risotto, ideally, you want the paella rice to have the slightest bite to it. Cooking it uncovered will help evaporate the liquids and prevent the rice from becoming too soft and mushy.
    Paella pan substitute you don't need to have a paella pan to make delicious paella. A shallow frying pan is perfectly okay to use. Ideally, one that is quite thin and can transmit heat quickly. In making this recipe, I used a non-stick, thin frying pan and was able to create the beloved tasty crispy bottom. 
    Leftovers / freezing will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an air tight container. Up to 2 months in the freezer. 
    Cooking ahead one of the most exciting parts about paella is the crispy, slightly burnt bottom. So it is best served as soon as it is off the stove (and cool enough to not burn your mouth).
    Tried this recipe?Mention @Casuallypeckish or tag #casuallypeckish!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 667kcal | Carbohydrates: 75.9g | Protein: 34.9g | Fat: 24.3g | Saturated Fat: 5.6g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Potassium: 622mg | Fiber: 6.5g | Sugar: 3.9g | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 7mg

    More delicious dinner inspirations

    • Chicken and chorizo pasta bake
    • Spaghetti and Meatballs
    • Halloumi Carbonara
    • Oven baked chicken and rice
    « Marinated Chicken stir fry with Green Beans
    Chinese Steamed Fish with Ginger and Spring Onions »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cherie

      August 08, 2021 at 5:33 pm

      5 stars
      Am making this recipe for the third time - it's quickly become a favourite!!

      Reply
      • Genevieve

        August 14, 2021 at 1:48 pm

        Reading your comment just made my day Cherie! Super happy that you like this recipe!

        Reply

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