Chicken Paella Recipe

Chicken Paella {time lapse video}

Published On 10 November, 2013 | Dairy Free, Dinner, Gluten Free, Kosher

On a recent business trip to California, I had the privilege to spend an evening with my buddy Chris, author of The Epicurean Pig.  Chris and I share a love for all things food that reached new heights in when he flew out to Kansas City in August 2013 so we could compete together in the country’s only sanctioned Kosher BBQ Festival.  He was also part of our awesome Fed, White and Blue Shabbat.

When Chris and I get together, we cook, eat and drink and because we see each other so rarely, we hold each other to a high standard.  Chris introduced me to both Spirit Works Distillery and Dry Creek Olive Oils (by the way, you deserve a bottle of this!) so I knew that our evening together had the potential to become an unparalleled culinary adventure.

I’ve never made chicken paella before and Chris makes a great dish so with his brand new paella pan we got to work.  Now, if you’ve never made paella, it can take a long time.  Perfect for opening a bottle of wine, sharing some cheese and setting up the camera for some time-lapse photography.

This looks like it was pretty quick but this was a two (plus) hour process!  The key to paella is to add liquid slowly as it can absorb.  If you watch the video again, you might notice the liquid reduces nicely at around 18-22 seconds, right before we add some more. Here’s Chris’s recipe. 

Chicken Paella Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of bomba spanish rice (you can substitute arborio rice)
  • 6 cups of chicken stock (or vegetable stock
  • Half a cup of white wine
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 6 close of garlic diced
  • 1 can of diced tomatoes
  • A small pinch of saffron
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika
  • 2 chicken legs with attached thigh
  • Half cup of frozen peas
  • Chopped parsley for garnish
  • Garlic aioli for finish

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil and paella pan on a medium heat.  Begin to brown the chicken on both sides 3 to 4 minutes per side.
  • Add garlic and onions to the pan. Push chicken to the side and sauteed vegetables until soft.  Add the rice and stir. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 can of tomatoes and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Add wine to the pan scrape up the brown bits and deglaze.
  • Cook till the wine has reduced to by half.
  • Add smoked paprika and saffron.
  • Add half of the chicken stock and shake the pan once or twice (after this, no stirring or shaking!).
  • Once the stock has almost been absorbed add the remaining chicken stock. Cook for additional 10 to 15 minutes on the stove top until liquid has been almost been absorbed. Check rice for doneness.

Never have I thought to use aioli as a condiment for a rice dish and that pairing was one of the most pleasant surprises  in this dish.  I haven’t shared that recipe here but I found that Food Loves Writing has an awesome garlic aioli recipe.

Food Loves Writing has an awesome garlic aioli recipe.

Chicken Paella

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