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Chicken & Chorizo Paella with Green Beans & Rosemary
Traditional Paella Valenciana is made with short grain “bomba” rice, bone-in chicken, rabbit and broad beans, simmered in chicken broth rich with smoked paprika and saffron. This recipe is similar, made with easy-to-find chicken thighs and green beans, laced with dried smoky chorizo and fresh rosemary. It’s an ultimate one-pan meal, great for outdoor entertaining.
The 17-inch Smithey paella pan is large, so if you make this on your indoor stove, you will want to spread it across two burners to ensure even cooking throughout. Alternatively, follow the same recipe on your outdoor grill over a medium flame.
The prize of a great paella is the crispy caramelized layer at the bottom called socarrat. This is achieved carefully over medium-high to high heat at the end of cooking. Use your sense of smell to avoid burning the rice during this stage. Keep in mind that the paella will still taste great without the socarrat, but burnt rice is beyond saving (and very hard to clean).
Ingredients
Serves 12-14
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces dried chorizo, thinly sliced into rounds or half-moons
4 1/2 lbs (about 12 pieces) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 cups diced yellow onion
2 red bell peppers, sliced into thin strips
1 fresno, serrano, or jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (optional)
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 14-oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon saffron
10 cups chicken broth
3 cups short-grain paella rice (a.k.a. Bomba rice)
2 cups green beans cut into 1-inch pieces
2 sprigs rosemary, more finely chopped to serve
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Lemon wedges, to serve
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Instructions
1
Center the Paella Pan across two burners for even cooking and turn the heat to medium. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sliced chorizo. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fat renders and chorizo starts to crisp around the edges, about 5 minutes. Remove chorizo with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with paper towels. Reserve.
2
Season chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Place skin-side down in the Paella Pan and sear until skin is crispy, about 7-8 minutes. Flip and sear quickly on the other side for 2 minutes longer, then remove to a platter or baking sheet and reserve.
3
Carefully pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat that has accumulated in the pan. Still over medium heat, add onion and peppers and season with salt. Cook until onions are tender and peppers begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, cook for 1 minute until fragrant, then add tomatoes, saffron, and reserved chorizo. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until everything is well-combined. Arrange the chicken pieces skin-side up in the pan. Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer; taste and season with salt. When the broth is at a simmer and seasoned to your liking, stir in the rice, gently pushing it around the chicken to fill the pan. Finally, scatter the green beans and the rosemary sprigs across the top.
4
Cook paella on a steady simmer, without stirring, until the rice and chicken are cooked through, about 40-45 minutes, rotating the Paella Pan on the burners every 5-10 minutes to ensure even cooking. (Sneak a little spoonful of rice to check for doneness. It should not be mushy or crunchy).
5
Once the rice is cooked and has absorbed almost all of the liquid, increase heat to medium-high and cook 5-8 minutes longer, rotating the pan frequently, until all liquid has evaporated and the crispy layer of socarrat forms at the bottom of the rice. Remove from heat and serve with lemon wedges and additional chopped rosemary to taste.
