Slow Cooker 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!

Easy One Pot Chicken And Chorizo 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.

One Pot Chicken & Chorizo 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.

Slow Cooker Chicken & Chorizo Paella Recipe

, 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.

Vegetable Paella With Chorizo Recipe

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.

Spanish Cauliflower Rice (with Chorizo, Chicken & Shrimp)

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.

Slow Cooker Paella Recipe

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.

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.

Chicken And Chorizo Paella » Dish Magazine

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.

The Ultimate Easy Spanish 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.

Best Chicken Chorizo Paella: A Flavorful Meat & Rice Dinner

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.

Best Slow Cooker Paella Recipe

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

I’d love to hear from you! If you loved my recipe, please consider leaving a 5-star rating and a comment down below. Sign up for my newsletter and follow along on Instagram,  Facebook, or Pinterest

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!

The Ultimate Chicken And Chorizo Paella

Calories: 619 kcal | Carbohydrates: 48 g | Protein: 30 g | Fat: 33 g | Saturated Fat: 9 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11 g | Trans Fat: 0.1 g | Cholesterol: 137 mg | Sodium: 624 mg | Potassium: 435 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Sugar: 4 g | Vitamin A: 1196 IU | Vitamin C: 37 mg | Calcium: 31 mg | Iron: 4 mgSlow Cooker Paella with tender chicken, chorizo and shrimp. You won’t believe how tasty and this easy mixed paella recipe is – everything cooks in your crock pot with minimal prep!

Paella is a wonderful saffron infused one-pot dish from Spain which takes its name after the special wide shallow pan used to cook it in.

There are many versions of paella, with variations containing anything from chicken and pork to rabbit and snails. The popular version outside of Spain usually contains a variety of seafood as well as chicken and chorizo.

Slow Cooker Prawn And Chorizo Paella

Paella uses a special type of short-grain rice, such as Bomba, which absorbs a lot of stock without losing its bite. The rice at the bottom of the paella is supposed to get a little golden and crusty.

Paella in a slow cooker? You bet! I should clear one thing first of all – this is NOT anything like the traditional recipe, but it IS very easy to make and incredibly tasty. Think of it as an easy paella for home cooks!

So if you want a super yummy rice dish without any of the fuss, this crock pot paella is for you! Let’s take a look at what you will need.

Slow Cooker Chicken And Chorizo

Chicken and chorizo is such a fabulous combo with amazing flavour! Take a look at my Chicken Chorizo Stew – looks amazing, right? If you prefer you can make this recipe with just those two… but why not add shrimp into the mix?

If you are serving this as a family meal I would say stick with shelled raw shrimp (prawns) – young kids