Paella made with saffron-infused rice, chicken, sausage, and seafood is hearty, delicious, and a guaranteed holiday favorite. This Spanish-style rice dish is easy to make and cooks in one pan!’
It’s 15 days to Christmas, you guys! Do you have your Noche Buena feast all planned out already? If you’re like me and still scrambling to put together a holiday menu, here is a delicious paella recipe and a few more Kawaling Pinoy favorites for your holiday festivities:
Baked Macaroni-a creamy cheese topping gives this pasta dish an additional layer of yum
Morcon-beef roulades braised in a flavorful tomato sauce
Lechon sa Hurno-the crispiest skin and moistest meat on a lechon without deep-frying
Ginataang Seafood-my mother’s special recipe is sure to please everyone at the party
Rellenong Manok-requires a bit of work but so worth the effort!
Bibingka-you NEED to make this! Top with kesong puti and salted eggs for an extra special treat
Buko Pandan Gelatin-this delicious dessert “magically” turns into two layers!
Calamansi Cheesecake Bars-creamy and tangy, these cheesecake bars are a must this holiday season
Buko Salad Drink-a festive drink made with gulaman cubes, sago, kaong, nata de coco and shredded young coconut
Tsokalate-keep warm with a cup (or two) of rich, piping hot chocolate drink
You can also check Kawaling Pinoy’s recipe index for more delicious ideas!
Filipino-style Paella is the perfect example of Spanish influences in our cuisine. A byproduct of 300 years of colonization, it is a delicious fusion of our local tastes and cultural heritage.
Loaded with saffron-infused rice, chicken, chorizo, and choice of seafood, this hearty one-pan dish has become synonymous with our holiday celebrations and special occasions.
Tips on How to Make Paella:
- Paella is traditionally cooked in a paellera which is a large, shallow cookware with handles on both sides. If you don’t have one, use a pan that’s wide but not too deep to allow moisture to evaporate quickly. Make sure it’s large enough to allow space for the rice to expand.
- Other than a quick stir to coat the rice with the sauce, refrain from stirring and leave the paella covered and undisturbed as it cooks. If it is cooking more on one side than the other, just rotate the pan.
- After you take the rice off the heat, allow it to rest, covered, for at least 10 minutes.
Paella
Ingredients
- 3 pounds whole chicken, cut into serving parts
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 ounces chorizo de bilbao, sliced thickly
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 4 cups long grain rice
- 1 teaspoon saffron threads
- 6 cups warm water
- 1 pound large shrimp, tendrils trimmed
- 1 dozen mussels, or littleneck clam, scrubbed and bearded
Equipment
- Paella pan or wide skillet
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine chicken, sweet paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. Rub onto the chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
- In a paella pan or wide skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add chorizo de bilbao and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
- In the pan, add chicken pieces and cook, turning as needed, until lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add more olive to the pan, if needed. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring regularly, for about 2 to 3 minutes or until softened.
- Add tomato sauce and cook until slightly reduced.
- Add rice and stir quickly to fully coat with sauce.
- Add water and bring to a boil.
- Add chicken, chorizo de Bilbao, and saffron. Add shrimps and mussels, tucking into the rice.
- Cover pan, lower heat and simmer, without stirring, for about 15 to 20 minutes or until rice is fluffy and cooked through.
- Increase heat to high and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes or until a toasted rice crust (socarrat) forms at the bottom. Serve hot.
Nutrition
I’ve tried it with chorizo de bilbao, my kids don’t like the taste., whats the option?
You can use ham or just omit it 🙂
Rice ba na plain or pwedeng malagkit rice? Thanks.
Regular rice (long grain), hindi malagkit 🙂
Paella na may chicken? Seriously? Dun pa lang, di ko na tinuloy basahin yung ingredients, lol
Too bad because you missed a delicious recipe. I guess that’s what happens when people don’t have all the right information but think they do.
You can actually make Paella with a variety of meat and seafood including chicken. In fact, there are versions that even uses duck. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paella
Are you allergic to chicken? I pity you. Your culinary experience is maybe limited only. We also used chicken in paella sometimes, and its delicious.
You can opt out the chicken if you don’t want it. But i have tried three kinds of paella: Meaty Paella ( chicken and pork), Veggie Paella (veggies of your choice) and Marinara Paella like this recipe but i also put squid (pre-cooked ink discarded), shrimps, clams and tahong. Oh, have you tried Paella Negra? It’s seafoods as well but it’s sauce is the ink from squid, no tomato sauce.
Uncooked rice po ba ang ilalagay?
Yes, uncooked rice 🙂