This chorizo chicken paella without seafood is our favorite paella recipe; it's incredibly delicious and so comforting. Made in a large skillet to feed a crowd, this easy recipe is bound to make you happy.
This is a super easy-to-make chorizo chicken paella without seafood, one of the best Spanish recipes I’ve ever had! And I do love Spanish food, mind you. Have a look at these amazing Spanish Meatballs in Tomato Sauce, the Spanish Pork Stew, or this simple and flavorful Spanish Vegetable Soup.
I remember the first time I had a classic seafood paella during a vacation in Tenerife quite a few years ago. It was heaven, one of the best restaurant meals ever, and definitely the best meal we had on the island.
Making a seafood paella at home is somewhat difficult. We live in an area where seafood is not readily available; you get it mostly frozen, it’s expensive, and you don’t have much choice. So, whenever I feel like having paella, we opt for this simple chicken and chorizo paella without seafood.
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Recipe ingredients
Chicken: Use skinless, boneless thighs - they stay moist and are best for this recipe. Breasts can be used, but they tend to dry out too much. Try this Romanian Chicken Pilaf, too.
Spanish chorizo is dried, cured, and ready to eat, usually found with other cured sausages at the grocery store. Its red color comes from paprika, and it’s made of pork and pork fat. It comes in sweet and spicy varieties - I used the spicy kind for this recipe.
- If you like chorizo, try this Spanish Chicken and Chickpea Stew with chorizo, the Argentinian Choripan con chimichurri, or a simple and delicious Mexican Chorizo Tostada.
Peppers: One large fresh red bell pepper and 2 large roasted red peppers from a jar of peppers preserved in oil.
Rice: Short-grain rice, like Arborio or Bomba. I have Arborio most of the time; I use it for risotto as well. This Bacon and Pea Risotto is also made with arborio.
Liquids: Dry white wine and chicken stock.
Spices: Use the best smoked paprika you can afford - it makes a big difference. For this dish, I use real sweet Spanish smoked paprika or Pimenton (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab). For saffron, add a large pinch, but don’t worry if you skip it; the dish is still delicious without it.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
What kind of pan do you need?
Ideally, a large paella pan (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab).
However, I don’t have one, so I always use my large and rather shallow Dutch oven. You need a large one for this chicken chorizo paella, or the ingredients will overflow the pan. Mine has a diameter of 12 inches/ 30 cm and a depth of 3 inches/ 8 cm, and it was full.
How to make chicken paella without seafood?
Step #1: Cook chicken and sausage, stirring often. Remove. Discard excess chorizo fat, leaving only 1-2 tablespoons of it in the pot.
Step #2: Place sofrito vegetables in the same skillet, add a pinch of salt, and cook slowly until the vegetables are softer.
Step #3: Deglaze with wine and stir for 1 minute until the wine mostly evaporates.
Step #4: Add tomato and roasted red pepper, and cook for 5 minutes. Shortly stir paprika, saffron, and salt into the pot.
Step #5: Add stock and bring to a boil. Add rice and meat. Combine, cover tightly, and bring to a boil. Cook gently on low for 20 minutes.
Step #6: Nestle the peas into the rice without disturbing the bottom, and cook for another 10 minutes.
Step #7: Remove the paella without seafood from the heat and let sit, covered, for about 10 minutes. This will allow the rice to absorb all the liquid that might still be left in the pan and to develop more flavor. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
What is the socarrat?
Socarrat is the crusty, crispy bottom of the paella, which is achieved when the dish is cooked in its special pan and on an open fire. To help it develop, avoid stirring while cooking and let the pan’s residual heat do the rest. It’s delicious, but don’t stress if you don’t get it - your chorizo chicken paella will still taste amazing! Only those used to socarrat might miss it.
Store and reheat no seafood paella
Store leftover paella in an airtight container or in the covered pot in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge and reheat well before serving.
Reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop. Place the leftovers in a smaller pot and reheat on the stovetop. Add a splash of water or stock and reheat slowly, stirring very carefully occasionally. The food should be piping hot again.
Chicken and Chorizo Paella - No Seafood
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 10.5 oz Spanish chorizo Note 2
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion about 100 g/ 3.5 oz
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 large bell pepper
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1 medium tomato about 5.5 oz/ 150 g
- 2 roasted red peppers from a jar about 5.5 oz/ 150 g
- 2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika Note 3
- 1 large pinch of saffron
- 1 ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 cups short-grain rice Arborio, Bomba
- 5 cups chicken stock homemade or low-sodium
- 1 cup peas
- small bunch of parsley
- lemon wedges to serve
Instructions
- Saute chicken and chorizo: Cut the chicken into cubes and the sausage into rings. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook both, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan. Chorizo releases a lot of fat during cooking: discard it, leaving only 1-2 tablespoons in the pan.1 lb boneless+ 10.5 oz Spanish chorizo + 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Saute vegetables: Finely chop the onions and garlic. Dice the fresh red bell pepper. Place them in the same skillet, add a pinch of salt, and cook slowly until the vegetables are softer, about 5 minutes.1 medium onion + 6 garlic cloves + 1 large bell pepper
- Deglaze with the white wine and stir for about 1 minute until the wine is mostly evaporated.¼ cup dry white wine
- Add ingredients: While the sofrito is cooking, dice the tomato and the roasted red peppers. Add them to the sofrito and cook for 5 minutes more. Add paprika, saffron, and salt, and stir shortly.1 medium tomato + 2 roasted red peppers from a jar + 2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika + 1 large pinch of saffron + 1 ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Simmer paella: Add chicken stock, bring to a boil, and add the rice, chicken, and chorizo. Stir, cover tightly, and bring to a boil again. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes. Rotate the pan a couple of times during cooking to make sure that it cooks evenly and doesn’t get burned on one side.5 cups chicken stock + 2 cups short-grain rice
- Add the peas, nestle carefully into the rice without disturbing the bottom, and continue cooking for 10 minutes.1 cup peas
- Let sit: Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with a small bunch of parsley (chopped) and serve with lemon wedges .
Notes
- Pan: If you have a large paella pan, use it. I always use my large and rather shallow Dutch oven, which has a diameter of 12 inches/ 30 cm and a depth of 3 inches/ 8 cm. You can also use a large (at least 12 inch/ 30 cm diameter) cast-iron pan, preferably one with a lid. If you don't have a lid, cover the pot tightly with aluminum foil during cooking.
- Chorizo: The cured Spanish sort is sold in links. Depending on their size, you might need one or two links. I use semi-smoked, spicy chorizo.
- Paprika: Preferably good quality sweet Spanish smoked paprika - Pimenton.
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