Spanish Chicken and Chorizo Paella

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If you’re a fan of paella, you’ll love this Spanish Chicken and Chorizo Paella! It’s made with rice, tender chicken thighs and smoky chorizo. This is an easy, one pan meal that deserves a place in your dinner rotation!

While I love traditional Spanish paella with seafood, the smoky and spicy flavor of chorizo really takes this paella recipe to a whole new level! And you won’t believe how easy it is to make!

If you’re a lover of Spanish cuisine, like we are, I highly recommend trying this twist on a classic Spanish recipe (or for a quick and easy version, you can make Instant Pot paella). And, for dessert, you can always serve up these air fryer churros!

Check out the Spanish chicken and chorizo paella story!

Why this recipe works

1. It’s an easy, one pan recipe with all the comfort food vibes that make it perfect for a family meal!
2. It makes enough to feed a crowd, and you only need an hour to pull it all together!
3. Using Spanish chorizo is a delicious way to change up traditional paella, especially if you love spicy and smoky flavor. (If you do, you really should try this spicy Mexican pasta salad made with chorizo!)

What is paella?

Paella is a Spanish dish made with rice, saffron, vegetables, chicken, and seafood.

The type of seafood varies from shrimp, mussels, clams and even lobster. 

It may also include Spanish chorizo instead of the seafood or in addition to it. (In this recipe, we’re replacing the seafood with chorizo).

Paella is normally made in a paella pan, which is a wide, round, shallow pan that helps the rice cook in a thin layer. 

The thin layer of rice actually forms the socarrat (or the bottom crispy crust of the paella) and is considered an aphrodisiac in some cultures.

Ingredients

The following are a few key ingredients for this chicken and chorizo paella. For the full list of ingredients, please see the recipe card below.

You’ll need 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks. You can use bone-in, but for cutting into chunks, I find boneless the best. I also prefer chicken thighs over chicken breasts, as chicken breasts tend to dry out quickly. 

For the chorizo, I use 8 ounces of Spanish chorizo cut into slices. If you can’t find chorizo, you can substitute smoked sausage.

The base of paella is rice, and for this recipe you’ll want to use bomba rice. This is a short grain Spanish rice that is very absorbent. If you can’t find bomba rice, you can use arborio. 

Saffron is another key ingredient for paella. We’re only using a pinch in this recipe, but it’s enough to add the classic yellow color of paella and unique flavor.

Smoked paprika adds a smoky flavor. If you substitute with regular paprika, you will not get the same flavor. (If your chorizo contains smoked paprika, you can leave it out).

Step by step instructions

I used a 15" paella pan for this recipe, but you’ll need to cook the paella over a grill or a very large cooking surface so the pan will cook evenly.

You can use a smaller paella pan (10-12") for the stovetop and cut the recipe in half.

Heat the pan on a grill over medium heat (about 300F degrees) and brown the chorizo for about 3-5 minutes, until caramelized around the edges.

Add the olive oil to the pan along with the onions, red pepper and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, until slightly softened and browning around the edges.

Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes, until mostly evaporated.

Stir in the tomatoes, paprika, saffron, salt, and pepper and bring to a simmer.

Add the chicken, broth and rice and stir to distribute the rice evenly. Bring to a simmer.

Simmer on low heat for 30-40 minutes, until liquid has absorbed and a crust has formed on the bottom of the pan.

**I keep the grill lid closed to give the paella a slightly smoky flavor and to keep the heat more even for cooking.

Add the peas halfway through cooking and lightly press them into the mixture. Don't stir or disturb the cooking of the rice or the crust will not form.

**Use a spatula to peek underneath to see if the crust has formed.

Remove from heat and serve immediately while hot. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice before serving.

Expert tips

1. If the Spanish chorizo has smoked paprika in it, eliminate the added paprika from the recipe.
2. You can substitute other types of paprika, but the paella won't have quite the smoky flavor.
3. I used a 15" paella pan but I was cooking the paella on a large grill. If you don’t have a large cooking surface, you can use a smaller paella pan (10-12”) and just half the recipe. You can also use a cast iron skillet.
4. If necessary, you can use arborio rice in place of bomba rice. The texture won't be quite the same, but it's still good.
5. If using unsalted chicken broth, adjust the salt to 1 tablespoon, or to taste.
6. Ensure the heat on the grill isn't too high or the socarrat will burn.
7. Don't stir or disturb the cooking of the rice or the crust will not form. You can use a spatula to peek underneath to see if the crust has formed.

Common questions

More Favorite Rice Dishes

• Instant Pot Spanish Rice
• Seafood Rice
• Cajun Dirty Rice
• Instant Pot Wild Rice
• Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice
• Chinese Fried Rice

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!