🥘 Spanish Paella with Chicken & Seafood

A colorful, one-pan Spanish classic loaded with saffron-infused rice, tender chicken, and a mix of seafood — bursting with flavor and perfect for sharing! 🇪🇸✨

⏱ Prep: 20 min | Cook: 40 min | Total: 1 hr

🍴 Serves: 6

---

🛒 Ingredients

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1½ lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

Salt & black pepper, to taste

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1½ tsp sweet Spanish paprika

Pinch saffron threads (soaked in ¼ cup warm water)

1 lb short-grain rice (bomba or arborio)

4 cups chicken broth

1 (14-oz) can diced tomatoes

½ lb large shrimp, peeled & deveined

½ lb mussels, cleaned

½ lb calamari rings

1 cup frozen peas

Lemon wedges and chopped parsley for garnish

---

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1️⃣ Heat olive oil in a large paella pan or wide skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then sear skin-side down for 4–5 minutes until golden. Flip and cook 2 more minutes, then remove from the pan.

2️⃣ Add onion and red bell pepper to the pan. Sauté for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic, paprika, and saffron (with its soaking liquid). Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

3️⃣ Stir in rice to coat evenly in the seasonings. Add chicken broth and diced tomatoes, then bring to a simmer.

4️⃣ Return the chicken to the pan, nestling the pieces skin-side up into the rice. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes. Do not stir — this helps the socarrat (crispy rice layer) form.

5️⃣ Add shrimp, mussels, and calamari evenly over the rice. Sprinkle peas on top. Cover loosely with foil and cook for 8–10 minutes until the seafood is cooked and mussels have opened.

6️⃣ Remove from heat and rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley. Serve directly from the pan!

---

#PaellaMixta #SeafoodPaella #SpanishFood #OnePanMeal #FoodTok