Name: Spanish Chicken and Chorizo Paella
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 8 pieces chicken thighs; 8 ounces chorizo; 2 cups short-grain paella rice; 1 medium yellow onion; 4 cloves garlic; 1 large red bell pepper; 1 medium tomato; 0.5 teaspoon saffron threads; 4.5 cups chicken broth; 1 cup frozen peas; 0.25 cup olive oil; 1 teaspoon salt; 0.5 teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 2 whole fresh lemon

Spanish Chicken and Chorizo Paella

Soupone-panspanishweeknight

25 minPrep45 minCook6Serves

Ingredients

8 pieceschicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
8 ounceschorizo (Spanish-style, fresh or semi-cured)
2 cupsshort-grain paella rice
1 mediumyellow onion
4 clovesgarlic
1 largered bell pepper
1 mediumtomato
½ teaspoonsaffron threads
4½ cupschicken broth
1 cupfrozen peas
¼ cupolive oil
1 teaspoonsalt
½ teaspoonblack pepper
1 teaspoonsmoked paprika
2 wholefresh lemon

Prep

01
Dice 1 medium yellow onion.
02
Mince 4 cloves garlic.
03
Dice 1 large red bell pepper.
04
Dice 1 medium tomato.
05
Cut 8 ounces chorizo into 1-inch rounds.
06
Warm 4 1/2 cups chicken broth gently in a separate pot (optional but helps with cooking consistency).

Method

01
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 14-inch paella pan or large wide skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Brown them skin-side down for 5 minutes until golden, then flip and brown the other side for another 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
02
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pan. Add the chorizo pieces and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the edges are crispy and fat renders into the pan. Remove and set aside with the chicken.
03
Add the diced onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and diced red bell pepper, cooking for another 2 minutes. Stir in the diced tomato and smoked paprika, cooking until the tomato begins to break down (about 1 minute).
04
Add the rice to the pan and stir constantly for 2 minutes, coating each grain with oil. Pour in the chicken broth (you can warm it first for better results). Stir once to distribute, then do not stir again. Bring to a simmer.
05
Nestle the browned chicken thighs and chorizo back into the rice, pressing them down slightly into the liquid. Sprinkle the saffron threads directly over the rice. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the rice is tender, the liquid is absorbed, and a golden crust (socarrat) forms on the bottom—you should hear a gentle crackling sound.
06
Remove from heat and scatter the frozen peas over the top. Cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Spice Tips

For deeper heat and smokiness, use smoked paprika up to 1 1/2 teaspoons. For gentle warmth, a pinch of cayenne pepper stirred into the broth adds complexity. Fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro scattered over the finished paella brighten the plate.

Paella is forgiving but the socarrat—the golden, slightly crispy layer at the pan bottom—is prized. Listen for gentle crackling near the end of cooking. If your paella pan is smaller than 14 inches, cook in batches or reduce the recipe by half. Chorizo varies; Spanish chorizo (paprika-heavy) works best, but Mexican chorizo can substitute if drained of excess fat.