Paella is a fickle food–a food that inspires questions. Lots of questions. Such as:
What kind of rice do I use? How do I achieve that perfectly crisp, but not burned rice bottom? Do I adjust the cooking time based on what I’m putting in it? Do clams release more moisture than mussels? Seafood or meat? Or both? In what order should everything go into the pan? What if I’m a broke recent graduate with a non-profit job that’s good for humanity but crap for my bank account, and I can’t afford an ounce of saffron? What if I don’t have a paella pan? Is there other intelligent life in the universe, and if so, do they know how to make paella?
Rest easy, my friends. We have an answer to all these questions that also renders them kind of obsolete: this easy, largely fool-proof paella.
This simple chicken chorizo paella may not be the way a purist in Spain might do it, and we’re no strangers to making it the traditional way, in the special paella pan we schlepped over from Spain–lots of stirring, saffron, and anxiety-ridden hovering. If you really want to go the authentic route, you can also order a fine carbon steel Paella Pan from Amazon. But this is the weeknight in-a-pinch version that has only 10 ingredients and won’t cause any stress-induced migraines. Also, it’s pretty legit awesome.
Check out our Chinese Cooking Tools page on getting the versatile cast iron pan found in this post or maybe getting a rice cooker and trying this recipe in that (it works fine also!) or maybe just to get some more information and some useful links to products.
For other similar but very different rice recipes with Chinese flavors, check out our easy rice cooker ribs and rice and chicken and mushroom clay pot rice.
For easy paella, you’ll need:
- 8 chicken drumettes and/or wingettes
- salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 links chorizo
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 2 cups yellow rice (we use Vigo brand)
- ½ cup large butter beans (canned)
- 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup peas, fresh or frozen
Ok. Get ready for the easiest paella ever. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a medium cast iron skillet or other wide, flat skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat and brown the chicken. We’re using a cast iron skillet, which makes it easier to distribute heat evenly across your entire paella. We highly recommend cast iron pans. They’re pancake griddles, chemical-less non-stick pans, and panini presses, all rolled into one. Win!
Remove from the pan, add the onion, and cook over medium heat until caramelized.
Add the chorizo and crisp it up.
Add the tomato and cook for a minute.
Then add the rice and toast it for a couple minutes.
Add the butter beans, broth, and the browned chicken, and season to taste. Shake the pan so all the ingredients are distributed evenly. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Once boiling, lower the heat to the lowest setting and cover the pan tightly with a lid or with foil. Cook, covered, for about 25 minutes (you can peek in towards the end to see if you need to add in a little more liquid). In the last five minutes of cooking, sprinkle the peas over the top, cover, and finish cooking until the rice is tender and the peas are warmed through.
And that’s it! Done. We were originally going to call this an “Easy Chicken Chorizo Paella for 2.” But that would only be true if the two of you haven’t eaten in 2 days and are particularly ravenous. It’s more like 4 human-sized portions.
Wait…brainstorm! Would it be a bad idea to throw all the ingredients (rice, browned chicken, crisped chorizo, beans, peas, etc.) into a rice cooker and press ‘ON’? Methinks a bunch of Spaniards are probably rolling over in their graves, but it also sounds pretty painless and awesome. It could work…
If any of you decide to experiment with that, we want to hear your findings! Best idea ever…or complete no no?
Hypothesis: best idea ever.
In any case, if you’re not into all that scientific method malarky, this chicken chorizo paella is still more than easy enough for anyone. Enjoy it, and feel free to leave us a message in the comments!
- 8 chicken drumettes
- salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 links chorizo, sliced
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 2 cups yellow rice (we use Vigo brand)
- ½ cup large butter beans (canned)
- 1¾ cups chicken broth
- ½ cup peas, fresh or frozen
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a medium cast iron skillet or other wide, flat skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat and brown the chicken. Remove from the pan, add the onion, and cook over medium heat until caramelized.
- Add the chorizo and crisp it up. Add the tomato and cook for a minute. Then add the rice and toast it for a couple minutes. Add the butter beans,broth, and browned chicken, and season to taste. Shake the pan so all the ingredients are distributed evenly. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Once boiling, lower the heat to the lowest setting and cover the pan tightly with a lid or with foil. Cook, covered, for about 25 minutes (you can check it towards the end to see if you need to add more water or cook it longer). In the last five minutes of cooking, sprinkle the peas over the top, cover, and cook until the rice is tender.
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Your blog has been a life saver! I always turn to your site when I don’t know what to make for dinner. This shortcut paella is one of the many recipes that has turned into a staple in my house. I have even shared this with my sister who has also made this multiple times. Thank you guys for keeping this blog updated with new recipes, great pictures, and charming stories. I have enjoyed trying many of the Chinese recipes as well. They are all great! Thank you for providing instructions that make them so easy to whip up!
That’s awesome, Joy! This recipe doesn’t get a lot of love on the blog, because it’s one of our older ones, but I’m so glad you like it. It’s one of my favorite shortcut meals as well. :)
I just wanted to thank you for the recipe and let you know I did use a rice cooker. I seared the sliced chorizo (5 links-spicy flavoring), 1 inch cubes of raw chicken breast (2 large breasts) and the garlic, onion and peppers before putting in rice cooker. Then I added in the family size Vigo yellow rice pack (with spices) and added a little extra cumin. I omitted the tomato (because I didn’t have it) and don’t like butter beans, but did toss in canned peas at the end. I added everything to the rice cooker, added 2 cups water and 2 cups chicken broth then hit start, 45 minutes later, perfection!
Awesome, thanks for sharing, Catherine!
Do you use Spanish or Mexican chorizo? Can I also use all of chicken wings cut in half?
Hey Mike, either kind of chorizo would ultimately work. Feel free also to use whatever cut of chicken you like!
I came across your recipe on TasteSpotting and tried it out tonight. I was entirely pleasantly surprised both by how easy it was and how tasty. I have been struggling to find recipes I like as I am currently cooking dairy, soy, egg, gluten, nut and shellfish-free due to one of my children’s food allergies. I just have one question… when do you add the chicken back in? I used full chicken legs (large) so I ended up baking them in the oven for a bit after browning and then putting them in after everything else was cooked to make sure they were fully cooked as well, but I assume your intention was for the chicken to be added back in at the same time as the broth and beans?
Hi Ashley, oh my goodness thanks for pointing out the mistake! Yes, we used the little drumettes, so we just browned them and then added them back in with the broth to let them cook through along with the rice. I’ll be sure to add that step to the recipe. But your method sounds fine as well. As long as the chicken is cooked, all is well!
Found you over at Friday Favorites and this looks soooo delicious! My husband is going to love me even more when I show him this recipe:) He has been begging me to make paella BUT I’m not into a lot of complicated recipes when it comes to cooking. Quick and simple is my way in the kitchen.
Hey Adrian, glad we could be of help! Hope your husband likes it!
Funny thing, when I was living in Japan, I learnt to cook risotto with rice cooker. Actually, I was such a beginner for cooking that it took me a year to realize that the rice cooker way was not authentic at all…
Anyway, just want to say, it should be a possible to cook this wonderful paella in rice cooker. But you might want to rename it as Chinese style steam rice with chicken and sausage ;) Whisper: don’t do that.
hahahahaha! I used to cook EVERYTHING in a rice cooker when I was in college and bored with the dining hall food. I wasn’t slick enough at the time to try paella, but I totally should have.
i love returning to your website as i always pick up such great ideas to recreate in my kitchen! i’ve never made a chicken and chorizo paella before, ive only ever used seafood. definitely inspired to give this recipe a go. thanks sarah… looks delicious!
Thank you so much Thalia!
This is such a stunning colors. Pinned!
I love all the foods you prepare. I made a Char Siu Bao inspired from one of your post. Rather than baking it, I steamed it just like the Filipino Siopao we have in the Philippines and it turned out really soft and fluffy. Thanks you and God Bless.
Looks so delicious and vibrant! I could almost reach into the screen and eat that right from the page :-)
Thank you so much Nicky!
Doesn’t seem to matter if you put in your own authenticity disclaimer — there’s always going to be someone telling you you’re doing their native dishes wrong, isn’t there ;) I love the looks of your version! Especially using that flavored Vigo rice packet. For a weeknight dinner I can’t think of a better shortcut to a paella-like dish! I’m for it!
hahaha! That’s exactly what I should have called it, come to think of it. An “Easy Chicken Chorizo PAELLA-LIKE Dish.” For what it’s worth, the Vigo rice bag does say “Saffron rice” on the front. Anyone? Anyone!?
Sarah, you and I must dream about the same food! This is another dish that has been rattling around in my head trying to find a quick and easy method and you have done it so beautifully!
You’re going to put me out of work, lol.
I love this – the freshness, the simplicity are marvelous. And your photography is fabulous!
I’ve got my fork, just tell me where to show up!
Oh Robyn, you’re welcome for dinner any time! And we’ve got a fork reserved for you already…no need to bring your own. : )
Despite living in Spain, I’m not a big fan of Paella (prounced pi eya) the ll in Spanish becomes a y. Just saying for those that insist on saying it wrongly LOL
I’m certainly no purist either, your final looks delicious though. However, Bomba rice should be used in this dish and real saffron strands; along with paprika and other seasonings for an authentic flavour combination.
Each region’s Paella contains varying meat, poultry, seafood and sometimes snails too.
But, I’m pleased to read you understand the importance of the crispy rice on the bottom. That alone would make any purist squeal with delight!!!! Well done.
Thanks Bibs. We loved trying paella in Spain when we traveled there a few years ago. We even brought back a lot of the rice, saffron, and even a paella pan from Madrid to replicate it at home! This easy version is definitely a shortcut for sure.