Go Back

Chicken and Chorizo Paella

Prep Time1 hour 10 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Main Course

Ingredients

  • 1 lb chicken breast, diced and marinated (see ingredients for marinade below)
  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 3 tbsp chorizo spice mix (see ingredients below)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 2 cups green beans, washed, trimmed and halved
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • 2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 25 stands of saffron

Chicken Marinade

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp dried oregano

Chorizo Spice Mix

  • 1 tbsp ancho chili powder
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • ¼ tbsp cinnamon
  • ½ tbsp kosher salt
  • ¼ tbsp hot chili powder

Instructions

  • Make chorizo spice mix.
  • Mix 3 tablespoons of chorizo spice mix and 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar into one pound of ground pork. Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
  • At the same time, dice chicken and marinate it in the chicken marinade (olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and oregano) for one hour in the refrigerator.
  • After one hour, heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the meat until cooked through and brown. Drain off any excess fat, place meat on a plate and set aside.
  • Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet along with chopped onion and green beans. Sauté until the onion is translucent. Next, add garlic, diced tomatoes, bay leaf, paprika and oregano. Stir and cook for one minute.
  • Add uncooked rice, chicken broth, salt and saffron to the pan. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • After 10 minutes, uncover rice, add cooked meats and continue to cook the rice for an additional 15 minutes. Taste the rice to ensure doneness. The rice should be al dente with a chew, but cooked through.
  • Using a spoon or spatula, flatten the rice and push it to the bottom of the pan. Turn the heat to high and cook the rice until crisped and dark brown on the bottom. This is the socarrat and it adds lots of texture and flavor to the dish. Do not skip this step! It's what makes the paella.
  • Remove bay leaf from the pan and serve the paella with a nice glass of red wine. Enjoy!