Our go-to easy paella recipe

 
Paella is one of the most loved (and well-known) dishes of Spain, and for good reason; it’s packed full of flavour, it’s filling, and can be customisable depending on what proteins and vegies you have on hand. At its core, a homemade paella is a delicious rice dish loaded with all the good stuff: think capscicum, tomato, parsley and a gentle sprinkling of spices. We also use turmeric to give this simple paella recipe its signature yellow rice hue. Chicken and chorizo form the meaty components in this paella recipe, but once you have your simple paella recipe base, you can play with your choice of add-ins when you next make paella.

Why is this our best easy paella recipe?

We’ve simplified the traditional Spanish rice recipe a little to make it perfect for busy weeknight dinners. So if you want to get all the flavours of the Valencia-born recipe at home without any fuss, this one is definitely worth a try. Featuring chorizo, skinless chicken thighs, white rice, chicken stock (or chicken broth, if you have it) and spices like turmeric and cumin, this hearty dinner will be ready to eat in under an hour. And don’t worry, you won’t be needing a paella pan. Though a paella pan is the traditional choice, any large pot or pan in your kitchen should do the job nicely. This might not be the image of an authentic paella rice dish, but it certainly is a delicious midweek meal.

Key ingredients in our paella recipe:

  • Chorizo sausage: while chorizo mightn't be a traditional addition to paella, it's an instant salty flavour hit that works really well in this speedy weeknight-ready recipe. If you don't love chorizo you can leave it out.
  • Chicken: an easy protein-boosting addition to our homemade paella, we use chicken thighs (trimmed) in this dish.
  • Onion and garlic: it would hardly be Spanish cuisine without onion and garlic to bolster the flavours.
  • Red capsicum: colour, flavour and nutritional value, to boot! If you only have a green or yellow capsicum on hand, you can stray from tradition and add those instead.
  • Ground turmeric: this easy, speedy and budget-friendly paella gets its yellow hue from a little ground turmeric (seeya, saffron!).
  • Ground cumin: deepening the flavours of your paella, is a little cumin for added kick.
  • White rice: good old white rice serves as the vessel for all these flavourful ingredients, and makes for a hearty meal.
  • Diced tomatoes: for a long time, tomatoes and Spanish dishes have gone hand in hand, and canned diced tomatoes bring moisture to the rice.
  • Stock: we use a chicken-style stock in this recipe, but you can substitute with another stock if you're out of this variety.
  • Frozen peas: another budget-stretching ingredient that brings protein, extra veg and greenery to homemade paella is the freezer staple, frozen peas.
  • Parsley: fresh, flat-leaf parsley leaves are the final touch to top this homemade paella.

Ingredients (13)

  • 250g chorizo sausage (see note)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 500g Lilydale Free Range Chicken Thigh, trimmed, cut into 5cm pieces
  • 1 large brown onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 red capsicum, finely diced
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 cups white rice
  • 400g can Coles Italian Diced Tomatoes
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
  • Step 1
    Heat a large heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat. Add sausage. Cook for 4 minutes, turning, or until browned. Remove to a plate. Cut into 1cm-thick slices.
  • Step 2
    Reduce heat to medium. Add oil and chicken to frying pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes each side or until golden. Add onion, garlic and capsicum. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes or until soft.
  • Step 3
    Add turmeric, cumin, rice, tomatoes and stock to frying pan. Stir until well combined. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until rice is tender.
  • Step 4
    Remove lid. Stir through peas and sausage. Cook for a further 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve.

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