Bring the flavors of spain to your table with this vibrant, flavorful one-pot meal that’s bursting with freshness and made to please a crowd.
Brief History of Paella
Paella is a traditional dish that varies from region to region but has its origins from valencia, spain. All paella contains rice, and a variety of proteins, spices, and vegetables. Historically, those making it were laborers who used whatever they had on hand including, snails, fish, chicken, rabbit, duck and more. for this recipe, I decided to use organic beef sausage and chicken, because its quick, easy and it’s what I had on hand! You can always swap these out for other meats/fish or leave it out altogether for a vegetarian dish. One thing that never changes about this dish, is that it’s made and served from the same pan, and it’s made to feed a crowd. this makes paella perfect for family dinners or entertaining friends.
Traditional spices include paprika, garlic, and saffron, tiny yellow threads picked from the insides of the saffron crocus flower. A little goes a long way with this tiny yet powerful spice, as it has a unique (almost indescribable) earthy flavor.
Tips
If you do not have chicken stock, use water and add 1 tsp of organic chicken base. I love to use better than bouillon brand when I’m in a pinch because its organic and made without tons of sodium and fillers.
What do you like to add to your paella? Let me know in the comments!
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Chicken and Beef Paella
Equipment
- small sauce pot
- Large sauté pan
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 8 oz beef sausage sliced
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper diced
- 2 tbsp garlic minced
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes haved
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp oreganoc
- 1-2 lemon zest
- 1/4 cup black olives sliced
- 1/2 cup green peas
- 1/2 cooked spinach
- 1.5 cup rice rinsed
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 2 cups chicken stock or water
- 2 pinches saffron
- 2 tbsp parsley chopped
- grilled bread and lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- In a small sauce pot, bring chicken stock to a simmer. Add dry saffron to the chicken stock to “bloom”. remove from heat, cover. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, pour olive oil in a large sauté pan. bring to medium heat and add onions. Sauté for 1 minute., then add garlic and red bell pepper to the pan. continue to sauté vegetables until onions begin to soften. Fold tomatoes into onion/pepper mixture.
- Increase heat to medium heat, then add sausage. Cook until vegetables and sausage slightly caramelized, about 1-2 minutes.
- Next add in the paprika, dried oregano and rice to the pan, stirring gently to coat the grains. Next add chicken, black olives and stir again.
- Deglaze the pan by pouring in white wine and reducing by half.
- After deglazing, fold in peas and spinach. Then pour saffron-infused chicken stock to the pan. stir to ensure the rice doesn’t clump. add lemon zest and season with salt/pepper. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is done, about 12-15 minutes.
- When the rice has cooked, uncover paella and fuff with a fork or spatula. Remove from heat, remove lemon peel (if using) and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately with lemon slices and grilled bread.
