Easy Paella Recipe With Chicken And Shrimp

We’ve taken all the essentials of Spanish Paella and added our own tricks to make an incredibly Easy Paella Recipe that can be made in 30 minutes!

It’s easy to think of paella like just another rice pilaf or risotto. But, you would be mistaken. It is denser and smokier than most pilafs and much drier than a risotto.

The first time I tasted an authentic paella, I knew it was different. It can be hard to put your finger on it, but there is a definite smokiness and robust flavor that tells you this is no ordinary rice dish.

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The term paella refers to the pan that the dish is cooked in. The paella pan is hard to mistake. It is wide and shallow, coming from the time when paella was cooked only over open wood fires. These fires were hot and quick, so a shallow pan was needed to cook everything evenly.

The beautiful thing about the fact that the pan is so wide and shallow is that more of the rice has contact to the bottom of the pan, creating a flavorful crust called a

A cast iron skillet, or other heavy-bottomed saute pan works wonders with the tricks for easy paella that we are sharing today!

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It goes without saying that rice is key to any paella. Traditionally, Spanish small grain or medium grain rice is used, because of its ability to soak up the flavors while keeping its shape. (In contrast with arboro rice that is used for Risotto, which breaks down to develop the creamy risotto texture.)

If you don’t have short or medium grain rice, again, don’t worry. We’re making paella as easy a possible today, so keep reading!

When you cook the soffrito to a nice, deep color you get more flavor and give your paella a great color too!

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Originally, paella was made with a combination of chicken, rabbit, and snails. It wasn’t until the mid 1900s, when tourism began to pick up in Spain, that the now classic combination of chicken and rice began.

So, once you get the technique down, feel free to experiment with whatever vegetables, meats, or seafood that you have on hand.

Traditionally, saffron was and is still used in paella. Saffron was brought to Spain by Arab traders in the 900s. At that time, it was a preferred seasoning for rice, giving it a nice flavor and beautiful color.

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Nowadays, saffron is VERY pricey. While many people still wouldn’t think of making paella without saffron, others forgo the expense in favor of a more inexpensive coloring agent, like turmeric or paprika.

Paella, we’re going to share with you our versions for a quick and easy paella that tastes just as good as the traditionalversion.

You already know that we use our cast iron skillet or other saute pan to make our paella. So, that’s a good start. We kick the temperature up at the end of cooking time to mimic the high heat of the fire and create the tasty

Easy Shrimp And Chicken Paella • Curious Cuisiniere

The other thing we do to mimic a flame-kissed dish is tore-create the smoky flavor of open fire cooking by seasoning the dish with smoked paprika and a bit of rosemary.

Speaking of seasonings, we rarely have saffron to spare, particularly for a quick weeknight meal. So, instead, we use a combination of the paprika and a pinch of turmeric to give our paella a beautiful hue.

And, as for the rice, we’ve always made our paella with long grain rice, and never found it to be an issue. We always have some on hand, so it makes this recipe super easy.

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DISCLOSURE: This post containsAmazon affiliate links. These links are provided to help you find some of the more specialty products we mention in the recipe. If you make any purchase clicking throughour links, we receive a small commission from Amazon, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Curious Cuisiniere!

Sarah is one of Curious Cuisiniere’s founding duo. Her love for cultural cuisines was instilled early by her French Canadian Grandmother. Her experience in the kitchen and in recipe development comes from years working in professional kitchens. She has traveled extensively and enjoys bringing the flavors of her travels back to create easy-to-make recipes.

Oh my goodness I have been looking all over the place for a paella recipe without saffron. Came across this one after the third google search and this is by far the best one I've seen yet! We will be making it tonight and I'm so excited! Thank you Sarah!There’s nothing like good, delicious comfort food. Especially when it’s actually good for you! If you’ve loved our easy, one-pan recipes like the Spanish Rice & Beans or the Creamy Healthy Chicken Enchilada Skillet, then you’re going to LOVE this Chicken & Shrimp Spanish Paella.

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Chicken Breasts – Don’t have chicken breasts on hand? Any type of chicken will work just fine. Another option is to use meat from a rotisserie chicken and simply add it in at the end!

Note: Get high quality, organic meats (like the chicken you’ll need for this recipe) at Butcher Box for a discounted price. The best part? They deliver it right to your doorstep!

Shrimp – Buying pre-cooked shrimp is perfect for saving time on this recipe! Just make sure that they are deveined, tail-off, and thawed before getting started.

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Rice – If you can find Bomba Paella Rice, that typically works best for Spanish paella. In this case, I just used a brown rice mix that worked wonderfully!

Saffron Threads – Saffron Threads are a unique flavor in Spanish Paella. However, if you aren’t able to get them, simply omit them from the recipe!

We love how this Chicken & Shrimp Spanish Paella comes together in a cast iron skillet. However, a regular cooking pan works great, too!

Healthy Chicken & Shrimp Paella

This recipe is perfect as a make ahead or freezer meal! Simply make it according to the directions below, then place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator (without the lid) for about an hour. Once it’s cooled off, add the airtight lid and store in the refrigerator for up to a week or the freezer for up to 3 months!

This Chicken & Shrimp Spanish Paella is perfect for a healthy dinner that the entire family will love. Make a big batch of this recipe and have it on hand for quick, gluten-free dinners all week long!

Make the recipe according to directions, then place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator (without the lid) for about an hour. Once it’s cooled off, add the airtight lid and store in the refrigerator for up to a week or the freezer for up to 3 months!

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Calories: 393 kcal | Carbohydrates: 44 g | Protein: 40 g | Fat: 6 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Cholesterol: 239 mg | Sodium: 1045 mg | Potassium: 766 mg | Fiber: 5 g | Sugar: 3 g | Vitamin A: 696 IU | Vitamin C: 25 mg | Calcium: 138 mg | Iron: 4 mg