Chicken paella is my new favorite dish! Loaded with tender chicken, flavorful chorizo sausage, and fresh shrimp, it’s the ultimate chicken and rice dish. I love the contrast of the crunchy bell peppers and the moist rice. Plus, it’s a one-pot meal, so it saves me a ton of cleanup time!
Chicken Paella Recipe
This chicken paella recipe definitely requires some pre-planning. I had to shop around a bit to find chorizo, saffron, and bomba rice, but it was totally worth it to make this delicious paella!
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How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover chicken paella in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet on the stove or place in a baking dish in the oven at 350°F for 15 minutes.
How to Freeze
I like to freeze chicken paella in individual portions for easy reheating. It will keep for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Paella Variations
Paella is so fun because it can be so personal. Depending on where you travel in Spain, they enjoy different featured ingredients. Common additions include mussels, snails, rabbit, duck, or beans. I like to add mussels when I can find them fresh!
Chicken Paella Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 Spanish onion diced*
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed
- 12 ounces Spanish chorizo sliced**
- ½ teaspoon saffron threads ***
- ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup bomba rice ****
- 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 6 ounces tomato paste (1 small can)
- ½ pound jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Once hot, add the bell peppers, garlic, and onion. Cook for about 3 minutes until vegetables become slightly tender.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 red bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper, 1 clove garlic, 1 Spanish onion
- Add in cubed chicken breast and chorizo then cook for 5-7 minutes until the outside of the chicken has started to brown.1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 12 ounces Spanish chorizo
- Sprinkle spices over top, then add rice. Combine the chicken broth and tomato paste then pour over the skillet. Simmer uncovered for 15-17 minutes until the rice is cooked through.½ teaspoon saffron threads, ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon ground paprika, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 cup bomba rice, 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth, 6 ounces tomato paste
- Add in the jumbo shrimp and cover. Cook for 3 more minutes then turn off the heat and allow to sit, covered, for 10 minutes until shrimp turns light pink. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.½ pound jumbo shrimp, 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Notes
- You can use a paella pan for this recipe but if you don’t have one a large skillet works fine.
- Jumbo shrimp are my favorite to add, but you can leave them out if you’re not a fan of seafood.
How to Make Chicken Paella Step by Step
Sauté the Veggies: In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat. Once hot, add 1 sliced red bell pepper, 1 sliced green bell pepper, 1 minced clove of garlic, and 1 diced Spanish onion. Cook for about 3 minutes until vegetables become slightly tender.
Cook the Meat: Add 1 pound of cubed boneless, skinless chicken breast and 12 ounces of Spanish chorizo then cook for 5-7 minutes until the outside of the chicken has started to brown.
Simmer the Rice: Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of saffron threads, ½ teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon of ground paprika, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper over top, then add 1 cup of bomba rice. Combine 2½ cups of chicken broth and 6 ounces (1 small can) of tomato paste then pour over the skillet. Simmer uncovered for 15-17 minutes until the rice is cooked through.
Add the Shrimp: Add in ½ pound of peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp and cover. Cook for 3 more minutes then turn off the heat and allow to sit, covered, for 10 minutes until shrimp turns light pink. Garnish with 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley and serve.
More Chicken and Rice Recipes to Try!
Note: This recipe is one of those few exceptions on our site that has more than 10 ingredients. We try to keep things VERY easy around here, and limiting ingredients and time spent is one of our favorite ways. That being said, this recipe is too delicious to leave out of our recipe box! It’s an exception that is so flavorful and worth the extra ingredients if you have the time and resources to make it.
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