Paella is a traditional Spanish dish that is enjoyed all over the world. Originating from the Valencian region of Spain, Paella is a one-pan meal that has been enjoyed for centuries. It is a flavorful, hearty and delicious dish that is perfect for family gatherings, special occasions and even just a weeknight dinner.
The word “paella” actually refers to the shallow, round pan that the dish is traditionally cooked in. However, the term has come to be associated with the dish itself, which is a combination of rice, saffron, and a variety of other ingredients such as chicken, rabbit, shellfish, beans, and vegetables.
One of the great things about paella is that there are countless variations of the dish, so you can customize it to your tastes. Some popular variations include seafood paella, vegetarian paella, and mixed paella. Despite its many variations, the traditional paella recipe remains the most popular and is what we will focus on in this blog post.
Paella Ingredients
To start, gather all the ingredients you will need. This includes:
- 1 cup of short-grain Spanish rice (or any other type of arborio rice)
- 4 cups of chicken broth
- 1 large chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 rabbit leg, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 large red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 cup of green beans, trimmed
- 1 cup of frozen peas
- 1 can of diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon of paprika
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon of saffron threads
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1 cup of squid rings
- 1/2 cup of dry white wine
- 1/2 cup of lemon juice
- 1/4 cup of chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
Paella Instructions & Preparation
Once you have all your ingredients ready, it’s time to start cooking. To begin, heat a large paella pan or a wide shallow skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and rabbit to the pan and cook until browned on all sides. Remove the chicken and rabbit from the pan and set aside.
Next, add the onions and red bell pepper to the same pan and cook until they are soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Stir in the paprika, turmeric, cumin, saffron, salt, and black pepper.
Then, add the diced tomatoes and green beans to the pan and stir to combine. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes.
While the mixture is simmering, rinse the rice in cold water and drain. Once the mixture has simmered for 10 minutes, add the drained rice to the pan. Stir the rice into the mixture and make sure that it is evenly distributed.
Now, it’s time to add the chicken, rabbit, and squid rings to the pan. Stir them into the mixture and make sure that they are evenly distributed. Pour in the white wine and lemon juice. Let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes.
Finally, add the frozen peas to the pan. Stir the peas into the mixture and let the paella cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is cooked through. Do not stir the mixture during this time as it will disrupt the formation of the delicious crispy layer of rice.
