Chicken Paella (Paella Valenciana)

This authentic Chicken Paella (known as Paella Valenciana) is delicious, flavorful, and filling. It’s loaded with protein, colorful veggies, and smoky rice, all cooked in a delicious saffron broth that makes the dish saucy, tender, and juicy, with crispy rice on the bottom.

The best part? You don’t need to travel all the way to Spain to enjoy authentic Spanish paella. Making Spanish rice at home is a lot easier than you think with just a few simple steps.

What is Paella?

Paella is a rice dish that originated in Valencia, Spain. It contains proteins and veggies cooked in a saucy rice with lots of seasoning and flavor. It is considered a distinctly Spanish dish by everyone outside of Spain, although those from Spain will point directly to Valencia at the mention of paella. A bite of this Spanish chicken paella will transport you there through your tastebuds.

Why You'll Love This Chicken Paella

• Easy to make. You won't believe how easy it is to make delicious paella at home. All it takes is cooking the chicken, cooking the veggies, adding rice and sauce, and letting it simmer until it's done. It's become a staple in our home because it's easy and delicious, and it may become one in yours too.
• The flavorful base. To make Spanish paella, we'll start by preparing the saffron broth which will form the base of this rice. Saffron is an essnetial spice in this recipe and gives paellas one of their iconic flavors. Saffron is a notoriously pricey spice, but when you taste it, you’ll understand why. It has a distinctly sweet, floral, earthy flavor that can’t be replicated. This Spanish rice also gets a lot of flavor from the sautéed aromatics (onions and garlic), chicken, veggies, and seasonings like paprika and tomato paste.
• Loaded with protein. Although Spanish paella is considered a rice dish, this paella is packed with chicken. In fact, the unique feature about Paella Valenciana is that it doesn’t contain any seafood unlike other paella variations. But you could add in shrimp, mussels, or calamari to switch up the flavor.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Chicken Paella, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

• rice - you will need to use paella rice (also called Bomba rice). For a similar substitute, you can try arborio rice, which is the rice used in Risotto.
• chicken - for the most authentic Paella Valenciana, use boneless and skinless chicken thighs. It is more tender thank chicken breast but you can absolutely substitute for chicken breast if you prefer.
• saffron broth - made with saffron and chicken stock. I do not recommend skipping the saffron, it’s one of the most classic ingredients in a paella that adds a distinct flavor that is hard to replicate.
• aromatics - red onions and garlic add tons of flavor to this already flavorful paella recipe.
• veggies - we added green beans to our dish, but you can add other veggies that you like. Try it with red bell peppers, artichokes, or peas.
• seasoning - olive oil, smoked paprika, tomato paste, and salt and pepper.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a 10-inch paella pan or skillet.

How to Make the Best Chicken Paella

1. Make the saffron broth. In a medium pot, add chicken stock and saffron. Heat over low heat until it simmers, about 8-10 minutes. Soaking the saffron helps to extract its flavor.

2. Sear chicken. While heating the chicken stock, heat oil in a 10-inch paella pan or large skillet over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles, about 1-2 minutes. Add chicken and sear until golden brown on all sides, about 8-10 minutes. Season with salt.
3. Sauté veggies. Add onion, garlic, and green beans and cook until tender, about 2-3 minutes.

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4. Add seasoning. Stir in paprika and tomato paste. Mix well until evenly distributed.
5. Add rice. Add rice and stir to coat evenly.

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6. Add saffron broth. Slowly pour the saffron-infused chicken stock into the pan and stir gently until the rice is evenly distributed (The ideal liquid to rice ratio is 3:1). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Cook. Cook uncovered on medium-high hear until the rice has absorbed all the liquid, about 20-22 minutes.
8. Rest. Turn off the heat and cover the pan with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 6-8 minutes until the rice is al dente — tender yet firm.

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How to Serve

This Paella Valenciana is a filling and complete meal on it’s own, but if you are looking for some more sides to serve it with, try:

• Patatas Bravas
• Tomato Bruschetta
• Mediterranean Chickpea Wedge Salad
• Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
• Roasted vegetables such as Roasted Garlic Green Beans, Roasted Eggplant or red bell peppers.
• Charcuterie Board with cheese and olives

More Chicken and Rice Recipes

• Spanish Chicken and Rice
• Roasted Chicken and Baby Potatoes
• Curry Chicken Fried Rice
• Coconut Curry Chicken and Rice
• Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice
• Chicken and Rice Soup

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