Easy Chicken Chorizo Paella

chicken chorizo paella in a large bowl with a spoon sticking into it.

This easy chorizo chicken paella is a fast one-pan dinner made with juicy chicken, Spanish chorizo, rice, peas, and peppers. Cozy, flavorful, and ready in about 40 minutes.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean, Spanish

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 513kcal

Author Adina

Equipment

Large Dutch oven or large thick-bottomed pan
Box grater

Ingredients

9 oz Spanish chorizo Note 1
1 lb chicken breast cut into large chunks, Note 2
1 tablespoon olive oil optional if needed
1 large onion finely chopped
1 garlic cloves minced
1 red bell pepper cut into strips
¼ cup white wine optional, Note 4
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 large tomato about 7 oz/ 200 g, grated
2 cups paella rice Note 3
4 cups chicken broth 1 liter
½ teaspoon fine sea salt more to taste
½ teaspoon ground black pepper more to taste
1 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons parsley chopped
lemon wedges to serve

US - EU

Instructions

Peas: Let them defrost on the counter while you prepare the paella.
1 cup frozen peas
Cook chorizo: Heat the skillet and cook the chorizo slices for about 2 minutes until the fat has rendered.
9 oz Spanish chorizo
Add chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes until golden on both sides. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and discard the excess fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan. If the chorizo hasn’t rendered enough fat, you can add 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb chicken breast
Sauté vegetables: Add the onions, garlic, and peppers, and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened. Pour in the white wine and cook on medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes until mostly evaporated.
1 large onion + 1 garlic cloves + ½ teaspoon sweet paprika + ¼ cup white wine
Add spices and tomato: Sprinkle in the spices and stir for 1 minute. Add the grated tomato and its juices and cook for 2 minutes.
½ teaspoon sweet paprika + ½ teaspoon smoked paprika + 1 teaspoon turmeric + 1 large tomato
Add rice and stir for about 2 minutes so it gets coated in the spices and juices.
2 cups paella rice
Pour in the chicken broth and add salt and pepper.
4 cups chicken broth + ½ teaspoon fine sea salt + ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Cook paella: Arrange the chorizo and chicken pieces on top and bring everything to a gentle boil. Cover the pan and cook on low heat for about 20 minutes or until the rice has absorbed most of the broth and is tender. Check after 18 minutes and add a splash of broth if needed.
Add peas: Scatter the peas on top and cook for another 2 minutes.
Serve paella: Leave to rest for 2-3 minutes, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately with lemon wedges.
2 tablespoons parsley + lemon wedges

Notes

Chorizo: Use raw Spanish cooking chorizo, not cured dry chorizo. Raw chorizo releases flavorful fat while cooking and gives the dish the best texture and flavor. If using dry-cured chorizo instead, reduce the first cooking step to about 1 minute, just enough to release some fat and warm the sausage through.
Chicken: You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breast.
Rice: Traditional paella rice like Bomba or Calasparra works best because it absorbs lots of flavor without becoming mushy. If unavailable, use Arborio rice or another short-grain rice. Long-grain rice is not ideal because it stays too firm and does not absorb flavors as well.
Wine: White wine adds depth of flavor, but you can leave it out if preferred.

Nutrition