Paella

30 minutes Prep Time
1 hour Cook Time
6 Servings

Traditional Spanish paella is prepared on the grill or open fire. This is a rice dish with chicken, rice, spices and plenty of seafood. There are many versions of this dish; but this is our favorite combination – a seafood paella. This is a great dish to make for a large gathering of 6-8 of your closest friends and family. With our tips on making perfect paella that you can read here; you will find any occasion to make this again and again! Good paella does take a bit of time, but it is a labor of love and the results could not be tastier!

Ingredients

  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin on; cut in half
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced, or color of your choice
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can Tuttorosso® Petite Diced Tomatoes
  • 2 cups short grain rice, such as Calasparra, Senia, Bahia, or Bomba; Aborio rice would also work
  • 1 pinch saffron threads
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 16 large shrimp, cleaned, peeled and deveined
  • 16 mussels, scrubbed and beards removed
  • 16 clams, scrubbed
  • 1 pound baby octopus, ckeaned, or calamari cut into rings
  • 1 pound Spanish chorizo, cut into bite size pieces or small diced
  • 1 cup peas, fresh or froze (thawed)
  • 1 large lemon, cut into wedges for serving
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Instructions

Step one

Warm chicken stock in a saucepan

Step two

Heat grill to high heat.

Step three

While grill preheats, in a medium bowl, combine the rice, saffron, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper; set aside.

Step four

Place a paella pan over the preheated grill and preheat oil. Season Chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Once the oil is hot and shimmers, cook the chicken in the pan until golden brown on both sides, about 5-6 minutes per side.

Step five

Move the chicken to the perimeter of the pan (outside edge). Add the onion, garlic, and red bell pepper to the pan and cook until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes along with their juices and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture thickens slightly.

Step six

To the center of the pan, add the rice mixture. Stir the rice to coat, about 1 minute. Move the chicken on top of the rice. Pour the wine and three (3) cups of the warm stock over the rice. Make sure all of the rice is submerged, use the back of a spoon if necessary to push it down into the liquid. Bring to a simmer without stirring.

Step seven

Place the shrimp in the center in a single layer. Arrange the clams and mussels; hing-side down nestled in the rice so they stand. You need to take care doing this wearing long oven mitts if necessary to avoid burns or use long tongs. Distribute the chorizo over the surface of the rice. Close the grill lid and cook until the rice is almost cooked, 12-18 minutes. You may need to rotate the pan to maintain a gentle simmer and even cooking. If you feel the liquid is boiling away too quickly you may add about a 1/2 cup of the warm stock as needed.

Step eight

Sprinkle the peas over the paella, close the lid and cook until the liquid is all absorbed, 5-8 minutes.

Step nine

Remove lid and continue cooking, checking the bottom of the rice with a metal spoon or spatula until the rice forms a golden crust (socarrat), this will take anywhere from 8-15 minutes depending on the heat of your grill. Do not move too much of the rice, just a small amount to check. You may hear crackling or sizzling of the rice, that is what you want. Just make sure it doesn’t burn. Rotate the pan as needed for even cooking.

Step ten

Remove the pan from the grill carefully using heavy oven mitts or grilling gloves and let the paella rest covered with a clean towel for 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

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