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Quick Paella

3

  • Prep Time10 min
  • Total Time35 min
  • Makes6
A large enamel steel paella pan filled with rice, chicken, tomatoes, red peppers and onions.

Produced by Sun Ngo; Food Styling by Eshun Mott; Photography by; Christie Vuong; Prop styling by; Catherine Doherty.

This hearty paella marries chorizo, chicken and saffron rice for a zesty one-pan dish.

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp olive oil, divided

  • 175 g dried chorizo, cut into bite-sized pieces

  • 2 cups finely chopped onion

  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt

  • 2 tsp minced garlic

  • 1 tsp smoked paprika

  • 1/2 cup diced tomato

  • 1/8 tsp saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp hot water

  • 1/4 cup dried white wine or chicken broth

  • 1/2 tsp pepper

  • 2 cups cooked brown rice

  • 2 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken

  • 1 tbsp minced fresh parsley

Instructions

  • Heat a large frying or paella pan over medium-high for 3 min. Add 2 tbsp oil. When shimmering, add chorizo. Cook until browned, about 2 min per side.

  • Add onion, salt and remaining 2 tbsp oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 min. Stir in garlic and paprika. Cook until fragrant, 2 min.

  • Add tomato, saffron and its soaking water, wine and pepper. Stir to combine, then add cooked brown rice. Cook, stirring, until heated through.

  • Gently fold in chicken. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, covered, until chicken is fully heated through, about 5 min. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

This recipe is part of our easy make-ahead meal prep plan for busy weeknights—which also includes recipes for big-batch brown rice and slow cooker roast chicken, both of which can be made ahead and then used in this paella.

Jennifer Pallian is a food scientist, recipe developer and blogger at Foodess. She lives in Vancouver.

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