Seafood Valenciana

Paella may be one of the most popular rice recipes coming from Spain. And Paella Valenciana is amongst the most popular variations! This one pot paella recipe is brought together with a wonderfully hearty mix of chicken and seafood.

I love eating paella. And one of my favorite things about it is how many different ways there are to make it. Honestly, no two Paella Valenciana recipes will be alike, and I love that.

Paella Valenciana is, simply put, paella from the Valencia region – it is generally considered to be the most authentic and traditional version of paella. Which begs the question, what is paella? Paella (meaning “frying pan”) is a Spanish rice dish made using a variety of ingredients. The rice is noticeably yellow due to the use of saffron in the recipe.

Close Up Of Delicious Seafood Valencia Paella With King Prawns, Mussels On Savory Creamy Saffron Rice With Spices And Lemon Wedges In Pan, On Wooden T Stock Photo

What ‘authentic’ paella Valenciana is comprised of has been a debated issue. As with many traditional rice dishes, every family has a separate way of preparing their “authentic” version of paella Valenciana.

The ingredients vary from household to household but the premise remains the same, a delicious Spanish rice dish filled with a variety of flavors. Many accounts of authentic Spanish paella Valenciana list chicken, rabbit, and varieties of Spanish green beans as the original ingredients.

By that account, this paella recipe is probably not the most classical take as it involves a mixture of chicken and seafood (which is sometimes called

Recipe: Paella Valenciana

However, this version was shown to me and referred to as an authentic paella Valenciana by a lovely Spanish chef, and out of respect to her, I’m calling it a (Seafood) Paella Valenciana too.

Paellas use quite a few different ingredients (don’t skimp, or you risk losing that hearty paella feel!), but they come together wonderfully.

While there are several ingredients involved in making a paella, there are thankfully only a few steps required to make this delicious chicken and seafood paella.

Simple Arroz Valenciana Recipe

Start by heating a paellera (or any large flat skillet) over a medium-high heat and adding olive oil. Once it’s hot, add the onion, garlic, red bell pepper and saffron (this is called the sofrito, and forms the base of your paella’s flavor).

Cook for around ten minutes, stirring frequently until the mixture becomes fragrant. Push the sofrito to one side (or, if your pan isn’t large enough, you can move the mixture to another bowl temporarily), add the chopped chicken and cook until golden brown. Set the chicken aside.

Add the rice to your paellera, and cook for two to three minutes, mixing with the paella sofrito already in the pan. Add the seafood stock, season to taste with salt and pepper. Once the stock begins to boil, add in the calamari, shrimp, mussels, roasted red peppers, and peas.

Paella Valenciana With Seafood

Cook at low to medium heat for approximately fifteen minutes, or until the rice is completely cooked through. (The fish often cooks quicker than the rice, but double-check your seafood is cooked too please!) Mix the cooked chicken back into your paella.

One of the best things about one pot recipes like this paella Valenciana with seafood is that it can come together in one pot, or rather, a single paellera . That said, if you don’t have a specialized paella pan, you can use a large, flat nonstick pan. Make sure it’s large and flat – a deep saucepan may prevent some of the required evaporation. It’s good to use a skillet that’s on the thinner side as well, as thicker pans tend to hold more heat, potentially overcooking your paella dinner!

For added benefit, set aside a ladleful of the seafood stock. Pour it in after the initial amount of stock has been mostly absorbed. This helps to make sure nothing in the pan has been missed and left uncooked!

How To Make Paella Valenciana

If you’re not sure that your paella rice has cooked through, simply try a spoon from the edge of the paella dish. The rice the farthest from the center of the dish (you know, where the heat usually is) cooks slowest.

Don’t forget to spoon out the crispy socarrat from the bottom of the pan! The ‘crust’ of a paella is often considered the best part! If you find that a socarrat doesn’t naturaly occur when you cook this paella with seafood, try bumping up the heat to high for the last one minute of cooking!

Traditionally, there are two popular types of rice used to cook paellas: bomba and senia. While you’ll find a lot of restaurant chefs opt for senia, you’ll find that bomba rice is a little more forgiving. I find that senia is very easy to overcook.

Spanish Seafood Paella Recipe: How To Make Classic Paella At Home!

If neither of these is available to you, opt for a long grain rice. Short grain options like arborio rice tend not to provide the best results.

Yeesh! There are said to be hundreds of paella variations. So let’s keep this simple…you can mix up the components of this recipe quite easily. Don’t like calamari? No worries, swap it out for a little smoked sausage. Not a fan of chicken? That’s cool, omit it completely. Don’t like rice? Umm…your hair looks great today!

If you’re looking to spice up your paella Vallenciana, you have a few options. Start by adding spice through paprika, or chilli flakes. Alternatively, if you’re using a homemade broth (or stock), make it a spicier one.

A Taste Of Valencia

One of the great things about paella is that it goes well with almost everything. Whenever we whip up seafood paella at home, we like to also prepare the potato frittata with goat’s cheese as a yummy side.

If you like what I’m doing here, and you want to help, why not go ahead and become a Patron? You can support Chocolates & Chai for as little as the price of a cup of coffee!

And that’s it for today, bestie! What did you think? Have you tried a Valencian paella (with or without seafood) before? Let me know in the comments below.This simple Arroz Valenciana or Arroz a la Valenciana recipe is the perfect all-in-one dish to serve on special occasions due to its attractive visuals and amazing flavors! Made by cooking the chicken, glutinous rice, vegetables, and spices in a pan first then simmering them in coconut milk. It is served topped with hard-boiled eggs.

Paella Valenciana (rice Cooker)

It is almost guaranteed that you will see this dish when you attend fiestas in provinces as it is one of the most popular dishes that Filipinos make during celebrations and festivities.

Is a Visayan adaptation of the famous Spanish paella. While Paella uses round ground rice and meat stock, this dish uses glutinous or sticky rice and coconut milk instead. It is also characterized by using turmeric (luyang dilaw), chicken, and chorizo de Bilbao.

It bears a lot of similarities to its regional sister dish, the Bringhe of Pampanga. Bringhe is actually a fusion of two dishes- the South East Asian Biryani and the Spanish Paella.

Paella Valenciana Love And Romance Around The World

This is a simple version of this recipe that is really quick and easy to make. It is ideal for an everyday meal. You can get away with making this dish using only a few ingredients as long as the main ones are present: sticky rice, turmeric, coconut milk, and chicken. It is quite a customizable dish as well.

If you want to give it some flair for serving on special occasions, you can add Chorizo de Bilbao, green peas, and raisins. You can also use seafood and other meats like pork, beef, or duck. I have also encountered this dish served with some chicken gizzard and liver as well.

With banana leaves or use a large shallow serving dish. Arrange the toppings as desired. Alternatively, you can also use a llanera to shape it and then invert it to a serving plate.

Authentic Spanish Seafood Paella Recipe

To store leftovers, make sure to spread them in an airtight container or ziplock to prevent them from drying out. Unfortunately, rice does not last too long in the fridge, it is best to reheat them after a day or two. You can also freeze it for a month or two, but I normally don't because the quality is not the same

To reheat, first, break the huge lumps and you can use a microwave if using a microwave-safe container with a lid. The best way, I find, would be to reheat using a steamer. If you have banana leaves use that to line the steamer basket and transfer the cold/frozen Arroz Valenciana on it then cover and steam for a few minutes. Skip the banana leaves if not available. No need to thaw.

This simple Arroz Valenciana or Arroz a la Valenciana recipe is the perfect all-in-one dish to serve on special occasions due to its attractive visuals and amazing flavors!

Easy Seafood Paella Recipe

Calories: 506 kcal Carbohydrates: 72 g Protein: 10 g Fat: 21 g Saturated Fat: 17 g Trans Fat: 1 g Cholesterol: 55 mg Sodium: 529 mg Potassium: 571 mg Fiber: 6 g Sugar: 5 g Vitamin A: 4629 IU Vitamin C: 46 mg Calcium: 60 mg Iron: 5 mgThere is no dish more famous than this Spanish seafood paella. Fortunately, it’s easier than you might think to make this mouthwatering dish from