Spanish Chicken and Chorizo Paella is made with rice, tender chicken thighs and smoky chorizo. It's an easy, one pan meal that deserves a place in your dinner rotation!
Heat a 15" paella pan on a grill over medium heat (about 300°F 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.
Notes
If the Spanish chorizo has smoked paprika in it, eliminate the added paprika from the recipe.
Keep the grill lid closed to give the paella a slightly smoky flavor and to keep the heat more even for cooking.
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.
If using unsalted chicken broth, adjust the salt to 2-3 teaspoons, or to taste.
Ensure the heat on the grill isn't too high or the socarrat will burn.
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 it has become crusty underneath.