The SavoryIngredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
- 6 oz (170g) chorizo, sliced
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 2 cups (400g) bomba or Calasparra rice
- ½ tsp saffron threads
- 5 cups (1.2L) warm chicken broth
- 12 large shrimp, peeled
- 12 mussels, cleaned
- 1 cup (150g) frozen peas
Instructions
Brown the chicken and chorizo
Heat olive oil in a large paella pan or wide skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then sear skin-side down until golden, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook 3 more minutes. Remove and set aside. Add chorizo and cook until browned, 2 minutes.
Sofrito base
Reduce heat to medium. Sauté onion, garlic, and red bell pepper in the rendered fat until softened, about 5 minutes. The sofrito is the flavor foundation of the paella.
Add rice and saffron broth
Stir in the rice and saffron, coating every grain in the pan juices. Pour in the warm broth, stir once, and arrange the chicken thighs and chorizo back into the pan. Do not stir again the socarrat (crispy bottom) is sacred.
Cook the rice
Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes without stirring. When most of the liquid has been absorbed, nestle the shrimp and mussels into the rice and scatter the peas on top.
Rest and serve
Cover the pan with foil or a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes. Discard any unopened mussels. Serve directly from the pan with lemon wedges and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
Tips & Tricks
- Use a proper paella pan if you have one its wide, shallow shape is essential for even cooking and achieving the coveted socarrat crust.
- Do not stir the rice after adding broth. Stirring releases starch and makes the paella gummy instead of light and separate.
- Saffron is expensive but irreplaceable. Crumble the threads directly into warm broth to maximize color and flavor extraction before adding to the pan.
- For the best socarrat, listen for a faint crackling sound in the last 2-3 minutes of cooking that's the bottom layer crisping to golden perfection.
- Paella is traditionally a social dish. Serve it straight from the pan at the center of the table with wooden spoons and plenty of napkins.