Skillet Chicken And Chorizo Paella

You’ll love this amazing Spanish Chicken and Chorizo Paella! It’s an easy, flavor-packed rice dish that is loved all around the world.

It’s packed with tender chicken, spiced Spanish chorizo, veggies, and tender rice. The entire dish is so well-balanced and the flavors are seriously out of this world!

It comes together in just 45 minutes. Whether you’re making it for dinner or to entertain guests at home, this chicken and chorizo paella will surely impress everyone!

Quick & Easy Paella

Paella is one of those dishes that have a special place in my heart. I’ve tried many variations of it, and while seafood paella will always be my number one, this Chicken and Chorizo Paella comes very, very close.

The flavors in this chicken and chorizo paella are marvelous! Incredibly fragrant, and a bit smokey with a hint of spice from the Spanish chorizo. The rice absorbs all that wonderful flavor from the sofrito, chorizo, and the spices.

The traditional way to cook paella is over open flame outdoors, but I adapted this chicken chorizo paella recipe so you can make it indoors on a gas or electric stove.

Weeknight Skillet Paella

I love to serve chicken and chorizo paella with this gorgeous Grilled Peach Salad and this elegant Fresh Spring Salad. These fried Coconut Shrimp appetizer also pairs really well.

If you’re a fan of one-pan rice recipes, you also need to try my One Pot Mexican Rice, One Pot Jambalaya, and Curry Fried Rice!

Paella is one of the most well-known dishes from Spain, most commonly from the region of Valencia, although there are variations from other regions too. This iconic rice dish is made with a variety of proteins and vegetables, and spices, one of the most popular ones being saffron. It is traditionally cooked in a shallow paella pan over open flame.

Spanish Chicken And Chorizo Paella

, which is that glorious crust of toasted rice that forms in the bottom of the pan. It can be hard to achieve sometimes, but hey, practice makes perfect!

The best rice to make this chicken and chorizo paella (or any other variations) is Arborio or Bomba rice. Other types of rice commonly used in Spain are Calasparra, Senia, and Bahia, but those can be harder to find depending on where you live.

These types of rice do a great job absorbing all the liquid and flavor without getting clumpy, so the grains remain beautifully separated.

Oven Baked Chicken Paella Recipe (easy, Spanish, Gluten Free)

If you can’t find it, regular short-grain rice will do. I would NOT recommend using brown rice though since it does not absorb liquid and flavor as well.

Saffron is a fragrant spice from a flower called crocus sativus. They look like threads and are deep orange in color. In cooking, saffron releases flavors that infuse the entire dish with delicate and subtle floral aroma, and also adds a beautiful light golden hue.

The flavors are so subtle you can barely taste it on its own, but without it, you’ll feel like something is missing. It’s the kind of aroma that permeates through the entire dish and elevates it.

Weeknight Chorizo And Shrimp Paella

Yes, saffron can be expensive but it’s so worth it, in my opinion. It will take your chicken and chorizo paella from amazing to super amazing! A little bit goes a long way. I usually get mine at my local Whole Foods, but you can also find it at Trader Joe’s or online.

Below are a few helpful ingredient notes from recipe testing. As always the full ingredient list with quantities can be found in the recipe card down below.

Making paella is actually very easy! No need to buy a special paella burner or pan, and no special skills required. I adapted the traditional recipe so you can make it right at home, whether it’s on a gas or electric stove.

Chorizo Paella With Shrimp And Chicken

In a small bowl, infuse the saffron threads with some chicken broth. This will bring out the floral aroma of the saffron. Set aside.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large 12-inch skillet, heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Sear the chicken on both sides until golden brown. It doesn’t need to be cooked through at this point.

Chicken

In the same skillet (do not wipe clean), add a few more drizzles of olive oil and saute the diced onions, bell peppers, garlic, and smoked paprika until softened and fragrant. Then, add the sliced chorizo and cook for another 3 minutes, until the flavors come together.

Backyard Chicken & Chorizo Paella

Once the broth starts to come to a simmer, cover with the lid and let it cook over low heat, undisturbed. Do not stir it, as this would cause the rice to get too sticky, sort of like risotto. Plus, you want the bottom to cook undisturbed so you can get that desired

Paella tends to cook better and more consistently over gas flame. Traditionally, it’s cooked over an open fire, uncovered, on a special burner designed just for paellas. As you can imagine, that can be hard to replicate indoors. The biggest problem is that most regular house stoves are not large or strong enough to cook the rice evenly.

With that said, if you’re cooking indoors on a gas or electric stovetop, using a large skillet with a lid would be best. The lid will allow the rice to cook thoroughly. It can be cast iron, stainless steel, or nonstick.

Easy Chicken And Chorizo Paella Recipe

If you’re looking to go the traditional route, get a paella pan burner (this one is a 20-inch, so double the recipe). It’s basically an outdoor gas burner with two burner rings, one that heats the pan around the outer edge and another one that cooks the center. You could also cook it on your grill, but be careful not to burn the handles.

This is a beautiful dish that makes you feel right at home. And the great thing is that it’s meant to be enjoyed with lots of “tapas, ” which are appetizers or snacks in Spanish cuisine meant to make a meal or accompany a main dish. Yes, bring all the tapas please!

You can also serve this chicken and chorizo paella with Grilled Vegetables with Chimichurri, Grilled Peach Salad, or a Fresh Spring Salad.

Chicken Chorizo Paella

I like to use Arborio or Bomba rice, but any type of white short grain rice should work. Do not use brown rice.

Not necessary, if you’re cooking it indoors, I’d recommend using a large 12-inch skillet with a lid, which helps to cook the rice evenly and thoroughly. If you’re cooking outdoors, you can buy a traditional paella gas burner.

You could, but it may lack that unique floral aroma. However, if you can’t find saffron, the recipe will still work without it.

Chicken And Chorizo Paella Recipe

This recipe was published in 2019 and updated in January 2023 to include new photos and information, plus a few recipe modifications.

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This amazing chicken and chorizo paella is the perfect dish to make at home, either for a casual dinner or for entertaining. It's such an easy and flavor-packed recipe that comes together in 45 minutes!