This prawn, chicken and chorizo paella is my take on a classic Spanish paella and you’ll love it! This flavoursome rice dish is rich and comforting and known the world over.
With juicy chunks of chicken, punchy chorizo, bold flavours from spices and tomatoes and perfectly tender rice the flavours are amazing. It’s a meal in one pan but you can certainly serve it with a side salad too.
Chicken chorizo paella is easy to make and done in under 45 minutes and while it’s normally cooked over an open flame in a special pan, I’ve adapted my recipe over the years to work in a skillet on the stove top. It’s great for a comforting family meal or spectacular dish for a gathering.
You’ll love this Mexican red rice too.
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What is paella?
Paella is a Spanish dish originating in Valencia in the East of Spain and one of the best-known Spanish dishes worldwide. The dish takes its name from the pan used to make it, which is generally flat and wide with angled sides. Cooked over an open fire, an authentic paella recipe consists of rice (specifically bomba rice), saffron, rabbit, chicken or duck, tomato and green beans.
While the Spanish are quite protective of what a real paella consists of, it is also true that traditional Valencian paella was a dish made by farmers with what was available to them. I feel that making paella is just as much, if not more, about staying true to the spirit of the dish rather than exacting ingredients if you’re not able to get them.
Ingredients
For my take on Spanish paella, I use chicken in place of both rabbit and duck, and I use tomato paste for the tomato flavour rather than fresh tomatoes or tinned tomatoes. And, while chorizo isn’t traditional in paella, I love it for the richness it adds. Seafood is debatable. While some say it does not belong in a paella, I have also heard stories of crustaceans that lived in the rice paddies where the bomba rice is grown, making their way into the dish – whether that’s true or not, I can’t say.
So, is this an authentic Valencian paella? No, but it is what the Spanish would call paella mixta (mixed paella) which can include a mixture of meat and seafood, vegetables and beans. I do believe my version stays true to the spirit of paella, though.
Jump to the recipe card for full ingredients and instructions.
- Calasparra rice, also known as bomba rice is what you need here. Some people will substitute arborio rice but it just doesn’t give the same texture or finish.
- Chicken thighs: I use boneless skinless chicken thighs. You can use rabbit or duck in it’s place. Chicken breast is ok too but it may dry out a little.
- Chorizo: I use a semi-cured chorizo here. Cured or dried chorizo has too strong a flavour for this.
- Prawns: Use medium or large prawns (or shrimp) and be as generous as you like, adding in a certain number per serving.
- Vegetables: Green beans are classic though many opt for peas here. Capsicum (bell pepper), not so classic, but it’s a great way to add extra vegetables. You can even swap it for diced roasted peppers if you like. Onions and garlic add loads of flavour. While a traditional paella would use fresh tomatoes or tinned tomatoes, I like tomato paste – easier to add, loads of flavour and no chunks of tomato that my hubby doesn’t like.
- Other flavours: It’s not a paella without saffron – it has such a unique flavour. I add a little paprika or Spanish pimenton too.
- Chicken stock or chicken broth is the perfect liquid for cooking the rice in.
Make sure to serve your chicken & chorizo paella with lots of fresh parsley and especially lemon wedges. The lemon juice squeezed over the top adds such a lovely brightness and lift to the paella.
How to make chicken and chorizo paella
This prawn, chicken & chorizo paella recipe is truly so simple to make. While it’s traditionally cooked on an open flame in an open pan, I’ve adapted my recipe to make it easy to make in the home kitchen.
Jump to the recipe card for full ingredients and instructions.
1. Steep the saffron
Add the saffron to some warm water and just set it aside to steep until required.
2. Cook the meat and veg
First, get the right set up. You need a large stainless steel or a cast-iron skillet. Both are heavy based and will distribute the heat nicely. Next, choose your largest burner, preferably a gas stove though my portable induction burner does a pretty good job too. If you love your paella and want to invest in something more traditional, this paella pan and burner will get you started but you’ll need to double the recipe.
Start by cooking the chicken thighs, chorizo and onion in a pan until the chicken is sealed all over and the onion has softened.
Add the capsicum and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
3. Add the rice and flavourings
Now, add the rice, tomato paste and paprika, give it a good stir and cook for another couple of minutes.
4. Add the liquid and simmer
Now, add the chicken stock and saffron water. Bring it to a simmer, then cook at a low simmer for about 15 minutes. When it’s done, the rice should be just about cooked through, and you should still have some moisture in the pan.
5. Add the beans and prawns
Stir in the beans, then add the prawns to your chicken chorizo paella.
You can add the prawns whole like I do, but this will mean sticky fingers at the dinner table, so make sure to provide a finger bowl and napkins. If you prefer, shell them first and add them whole or cut them into smaller pieces.
6. The soccarat
The soccarat is a classic part of a Spanish paella. The word means to burn or scorch and it refers to the toasted layer of browned rice on the bottom of the paella – the rice that’s touching the base of the pan. Turn the heat up to medium-high for just a minute or two to get that crispy base.
Variations
This chicken and chorizo paella recipe is very versatile. Try changing it up and adding clams or mussels for the last few minutes. You can use duck in place of the chicken which is actually more traditional. Swap the green beans for peas. You can even swap the capsicum for another veg you like or roasted peppers.
Storage
Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container. It reheats well in the microwave.
FAQs
The right rice for paella is calasparra rice or bomba rice. They are both a type of short grain rice. Although arborio rice can work, it’s doesn’t give quite the right texture.
Chorizo, while Spanish, is not traditional in paella though it adds an amazing punch of flavour.
If there was one secret ingredient in paella, it would have to be saffron. It adds the most unique floral aroma and flavour. Another might be the soccarat – the crust that forms on the bottom of the paella.
Paella Valenciana (Valencian paella) is the original version. Paella de marisco is seafood paella and paella mixta is a paella using a mixture of meat, seafood and vegetables.
While there is a classic recipe, paella does vary between regions as it’s a dish of using what’s local and easy to get hold of. Even in Valencia, Valencian families have their own take on the dish.
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Ingredients
- big pinch saffron threads
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 350 g skinless boneless chicken thighs chopped into bite-size pieces, (about 3 medium thighs)
- 1 Spanish chorizo sausage sliced into half moons (100g)
- 1 medium brown onion finely chopped
- 1 medium red capsicum (red bell pepper) diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 ½ cups paella rice (calasparra rice / bomba rice) (300g / 10½oz)
- 3 cups chicken stock (750ml)
- 8-10 medium or large raw prawns (notes 3)
- ¾ cup frozen green beans (or frozen peas) (95g /~3½oz)
- parsley and lemon wedges to serve
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
- large skillet or deep frying pan heavy based stainless steel or cast iron
Instructions
- Add the saffron threads to ¼ cup of hot water and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a paella pan or similar over medium high heat. Add the chicken, chorizo and onion and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring regularly until the chicken is sealed all over and the onion has softened.
- Turn the heat down to medium. Add the capsicum and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the paprika, tomato paste and rice and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Add the stock and saffron mixture. Mix well then bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer over low heat, cover with a lid and cook for 12-15 minutes. Stir at the 5 and 10 minutes mark.
- Remove the lid and stir in the beans. If it’s looking dry and is catching on the bottom, add a couple of tablespoons of water. At this point, taste the rice and add salt to your taste.
- Add the prawns to the top and cook, uncovered another 5-7 minutes.
- Once the prawns are cooked, remove the lid and turn the heat up to high for 1-2 minutes until the rice on the bottom of the pan has browned a little. This is called soccarat and is essential to paella.
- Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It's appreciated and so helpful.
Notes
- Tablespoons: I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (equal to 4 teaspoons). Check yours before measuring.
- Socarrat is a Valencian word meaning scorched and refers to the browned rice crust at the bottom of a paella.
- You can shell and devein your prawns if you prefer and you can chop them up too if you like.
- Don’t use Mexican chorizo.
- Nutrition details are approximate only – scroll below the recipe to find the full nutritional information.
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6 Comments on “Prawn, Chicken and Chorizo Paella”
Easy and very tasty
I’m so happy you love it, Rober. Truly appreciate you dropping back to leave a review.
This was an absolutely delicious recipe. I used the tomato paste as, like your hubby, I like the tomato flavour but not the texture of chunks of tomato. I love the history of the dish you outlined and appreciate all your effort to create this recipe 😀
So happy you love it. Thanks for dropping back to leave a review.
Can you add other seafood item and if your not a fan of chorizo is there another item to sub.
Hi Larry. Yes, you can add other seafood to it. Mussels are a really common one or you could try calamari / squid. You can also just leave the chorizo out.