Why You’ll Love This this Spanish Chicken Paella
This chicken paella brings all the smoky, saffron-kissed flavors of Spain right to your dinner table, and honestly, it’s way easier than you think it’s going to be.
You get tender, perfectly seasoned chicken nestled into fluffy rice that’s been simmering away with tomatoes, capers, and just enough cayenne to wake up your taste buds without setting your mouth on fire.
The best part, those colorful peas and roasted peppers on top make it look like you spent all day in the kitchen when really, most of the work happens while you’re probably scrolling through your phone waiting for the rice to do its thing.
Ingredients List
Getting all your ingredients ready beforehand makes this Spanish chicken paella so much smoother to cook, trust me on this one.
- 2-3 lbs chicken pieces (with skin on or off)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 medium onion, sliced into thin wedges
- 2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic
- 1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
- 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
- 12 Spanish olives, green with pimento, sliced (or more if desired)
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1 (7 ounce) jar roasted sweet peppers or 1 large roasted red pepper, cut into strips
- This recipe sneaks in some solid nutrition without you even trying – you’ve got lean protein from the chicken, fiber from the rice and peas, plus antioxidants from those colorful peppers and tomatoes
- The olive oil brings heart-healthy fats to the party, while the garlic and onions add flavor without piling on extra calories
- Keep the sodium in check by going easy on added salt since the capers, olives, and chicken broth already bring plenty of salty goodness to the mix
Step by Step Directions
This Spanish chicken paella comes together in one pan with simple steps that build incredible flavor from the ground up.
- Warm 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large deep non-stick skillet or paella pan with cover over medium-high heat.
- Season 2-3 lbs chicken pieces with salt and pepper on all sides, then brown the chicken on all sides in the heated oil.
- Remove browned chicken and set aside.
- Add 1 medium onion (sliced into thin wedges) and 2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic to the same pan, sautéing until translucent.
- Stir in 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice and cook for 1 minute.
- Add 1 can (14 1/2 ounce) diced tomatoes, 3 cups chicken broth, 2 tablespoons capers, and 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste).
- Press the browned chicken pieces down into the liquid.
- Cover the pan and bring to a slow simmer, then reduce heat to very low.
- Cook covered for 30-40 minutes until rice is tender.
- Top with 12 sliced Spanish green olives with pimento and 1 cup thawed frozen peas, stirring very gently.
- Arrange strips from 1 jar (7 ounce) roasted sweet peppers or 1 large roasted red pepper on top.
- Cover again and cook for 3-4 minutes until peas are heated through.
For restaurant-quality results, consider investing in professional-grade commercial kitchen equipment that can handle the demands of authentic Spanish cooking.
Substitutions and Variations
• Broth variations – Vegetable broth works fine, but if you really want to elevate things, use a mix of chicken and seafood stock.
The depth of flavor is worth the extra step.
• Go vegetarian – Skip the chicken entirely, double up on vegetables like bell peppers and zucchini, and use vegetable broth.
Add chickpeas for protein and you’ve got a completely different but equally satisfying dish.
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
Paella is pretty much a complete meal on its own, but sometimes you want to round things out with a few extras that complement those beautiful Spanish flavors.
- Simple green salad – Nothing fancy here, just mixed greens with a light vinaigrette. The brightness cuts through all that rich, savory rice perfectly.
- Crusty bread – Think a good sourdough or rustic country loaf. You’ll want something to soak up every last drop of those amazing pan juices, trust me.
- Spanish olives and marcona almonds – Set these out as nibbles while the paella finishes cooking. Your guests will think you’re incredibly sophisticated, even though you just opened a couple jars.
- Sangria or Spanish wine – A crisp Albariño or a fruity red Tempranillo pairs beautifully. If wine isn’t your thing, sparkling water with lemon works too.
- Manchego cheese plate – A small selection of Spanish cheeses with some membrillo (quince paste) makes for an elegant starter that keeps people happy while they wait.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
Making perfect paella is all about timing and technique, but don’t worry – I’ve got your back with these game-changing tips.
- Don’t stir the rice once it starts simmering – This isn’t risotto, folks. Let that rice do its thing undisturbed, or you’ll end up with mushy grains instead of perfectly separate, fluffy pieces.
- Listen for the socarrat – That’s the slightly crispy bottom layer that’s the holy grail of paella. In the last few minutes, you’ll hear gentle crackling sounds. That’s your cue that magic is happening.
- Use the right pan if you can – A wide, shallow pan gives you the best rice-to-liquid ratio. If you don’t have a paella pan, your biggest skillet will work just fine.
- Let it rest before serving – Give your paella a good 5-10 minutes to settle after cooking. The rice will finish absorbing any remaining liquid, and everything will taste more cohesive.
- Taste and adjust as you go – That chicken broth can vary in saltiness, so give it a quick taste before adding the rice. You can always add more seasoning, but you can’t take it back.
- Don’t panic if the liquid looks like too much at first – Rice is thirsty stuff, and it’ll drink up way more than you think. Trust the process, even when it looks like chicken soup for the first 15 minutes.
Nutritional Facts
This hearty Spanish paella delivers a well-balanced mix of protein, carbs, and essential nutrients that’ll fuel your day.
- Calories: Approximately 450-500 per serving (serves 6)
- Protein: 35-40g from chicken pieces – excellent for muscle maintenance and satiety
- Carbohydrates: 45-50g primarily from rice, providing sustained energy
- Fat: 12-15g, mostly from olive oil and chicken skin (if kept on)
- Fiber: 3-4g from vegetables, tomatoes, and peas
- Sodium: 800-900mg (varies with broth choice – use low-sodium broth to reduce)
- Vitamin C: High content from roasted peppers and tomatoes
- Iron: Good source from chicken and fortified rice
- Potassium: 600-700mg from chicken, tomatoes, and vegetables
- Antioxidants: Rich in lycopene from tomatoes and capsanthin from red peppers
- Healthy fats: Monounsaturated fats from olive oil support heart health
Fun “Did You Know?”
Did you know that authentic paella was never meant to include chicken and seafood together?
I find it fascinating that traditional Valencian paella contains rabbit, chicken, beans, and sometimes snails—but never seafood!
The famous paella mixta combining meat and seafood actually emerged later for tourists.
Here’s another interesting fact: paella gets its name from the wide, shallow pan it’s cooked in, called a “paellera.”
The rice should form a thin layer, and that coveted crispy bottom layer is called “socarrat”—it’s considered the prize by Spanish cooks and shows you’ve mastered the technique perfectly.
