Name: Chorizo and Chicken Paella
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4-6 Servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 3 tbsp + 1 tbsp olive oil; 2 Chicken breast (or chicken thighs) cut into square pieces; 2 Links of Spanish Chorizo (12oz), sliced; Salt/freshly ground black pepper to taste; 2 teaspoons smoked paprika; 1 small yellow onion, diced; 3 cloves of garlic, minced; 1 large red bell pepper, diced; 1 small can fire roasted diced tomatoes (14.5oz); 3 1/3 cups chicken broth; 1/4 cup dry white wine; 1 teaspoon turmeric; 2 cups Arborio rice; Pinch saffron threads; 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas; 1 tbsp sliced spanish manzanilla olives; 1/4 cup chopped parsley; Lemon wedges, for garnish

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Flavor party in a skillet anyone? This chorizo and chicken paella made in a cast iron skillet is perfect for feeding your family!

Chicken and chorizo paella in a cast iron skillet with yellow rice and vegetables

Is there anything better then going to a festival/party and they have someone with one of those GIANT paella pan’s!? I’ve always wanted to re-create it at home, but could never find a recipe that incorporated everything that I wanted in a homemade paella.

Paella Ingredients

Typically Paella has seafood in it, but not everyone in my household likes seafood, so I made it with chorizo (the best #flavorbomb) and chicken. I did make a seafood paella version for my seafood lovers out there!

Prepping Ingredients

chopped paella ingredients on a cutting board

First you are going to prep all the ingredients. Mince garlic, dice onion, dice bell pepper. You’re going to cut the chicken into cubes, and slice the chorizo. Make sure you purchase Spanish chorizo, the already cooked version. Do not buy Mexican chorizo, it is the uncooked crumbling kind.

Cooking Paella

First we are going to brown the chicken on all sides then set aside. Then brown the chorizo and set aside as well. Use a slotted spoon to remove both, so you leave the delicious juices behind.

Next comes the base of the paella. I sauté the onion and bell pepper for a few minutes until they begin to get tender. Then I add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Pour the white wine in and deglaze the pan scraping up any flavorful bits from the bottom.

I love using fire roasted tomatoes because it gives an extra punch of flavor to the dish. I add this in and then the chicken broth after. If it seems like too much liquid, don’t worry the rice is going to soak up most of it.

Next we are going to return the chicken and the chorizo to the skillet and give it a nice stir. The liquid should be at a soft boil at this point.

Whats Paella without saffron? The rice is white so how does the dish become yellow? Enter saffron. Saffron is a spice that looks like tiny little threads, it is very fragrant, has a subtle flavor, and lends rice that rich yellow color. A staple in paella recipes. Not traditional, but I also like to use a little turmeric in my paella as well.

arborio rice in a strainer over the skillet

If you can get your hands on Spanish paella rice, also known as bomba rice then I would recommend that. It can be hard to find, so I typically substitute arborio rice, which is a short grain rice. My biggest tip when making Paella, is when adding the rice. You do not want to disturb it so it gets that crispy texture at the bottom of the pan. Add the rice to the liquid, give it ONE stir to ensure its evenly spread then LEAVE IT!

After it’s all cooked, comes the garnish. I love putting peas, manzanilla olives, and parsley in my paella. If you’re not an olive fan, don’t write them off so quickly in this recipe. I would give them a try because it really brings the flavors full circle and I’ve flipped olive haters with this dish (mission accomplished).

In the end you get this colorful, beautiful dish that is bursting with flavor. The greatest part, the leftovers are even better the next day!

Loved this recipe? Check out my seafood and chorizo paella!

See below for cooking video

Things you’ll need: Cast iron skillet, large 12inch or 15inch (I used a 12, do not use smaller than a 12 in skillet or it will not fit)

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