No live fire needed to make this smoky chicken and vegetable paella from chef José Andrés. With a few choice ingredients and materials (like paella or Bomba rice, smoky pimentón, saffron, and of course a good paella pan), you’re less than an hour away from an almost restaurant-quality—but still chef-approved!—stovetop paella.
If you have a very heavy, sharp knife, there is no need to bone chicken thighs before quartering, just cut right through; otherwise we recommend removing bone before cutting the meat. While water is traditionally used in Spain, especially large in paellas, Andrés recommends using stock when making the dish at home for a jump-start on the depth of flavor.
A 15" paella pan will provide the appropriate circumference to make a thin, even layer of seasoned rice. Because of its size, it’s important to move it around as you cook to ensure the entire surface of the dish gets time under direct heat. If you do not have a paella pan, Andrés recommends using a comparably sized two-handled cast-iron or cast-aluminum skillet to make thin rice dishes that cook like paella, but ultimately, as the chef notes, “if you want to make a true paella, you should go and get yourself a paella pan.”
Watch chef José Andrés make this recipe, plus more tapas and desserts to complete the spread, at his backyard paella party featured in the latest episode of Made to Order.
Recipe information
Total Time
1 hour 10 minutes
Yield
4–6 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
If using 1 lb. skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 3), arrange a thigh skin side down on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut along both sides of bone to release from flesh (do not cut all the way through; you want to keep thigh intact). Work knife underneath bone and cut flesh away from bone; remove bone from thigh and discard. Cut thigh into quarters. Repeat with remaining thighs.
Step 2
Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a 15" paella pan or two-handled cast-iron or cast-aluminum skillet over medium-high until just beginning to smoke, 1–2 minutes. Add chicken thighs or 1 lb. chicken wings (drumettes and flats separated; 8–10) and cook, turning about every 3 minutes and moving pan around on burner every 2 minutes or so to ensure even cooking, until deeply browned all over, 7–9 minutes. Season chicken with a big pinch of kosher salt and push to edges of pan.
Step 3
Add 2 oz. mushrooms, preferably chanterelles, cut into ½" pieces (about ½ cup), to center of pan and cook, stirring, until just turning golden, about 1 minute. Add 3 oz. carrots (1–2 small), peeled, trimmed, cut into ½" pieces (about ½ cup), 3 oz. pattypan squash or zucchini, trimmed, cut into ½" pieces (about 1 cup), and ½ cup small cauliflower florets and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned in spots, about 2 minutes. Add 2 oz. asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1½" pieces (about ½ cup), and 2 oz. Romano or other snap beans, trimmed, cut into 1½" pieces (about ½ cup), and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned in spots, about 2 minutes. Push vegetables to edges of pan with chicken.
Step 4
Add 1 tsp. smoked Spanish paprika to center of pan and cook, stirring constantly, 15 seconds to toast. Add ½ cup coarsely grated tomato or canned crushed tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Mix chicken and vegetables into tomato sauce in center of pan and cook until sauce is slightly thickened and caramelized, about 3 minutes.
Step 5
Crumble pinch of saffron (about 8 threads) into sauce and stir to combine. Add 2 sprigs rosemary, 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, moving pan around on burner once or twice to ensure even cooking. Cook until sauce is reduced by about one quarter, about 5 minutes.
Step 6
Remove rosemary from pan; discard. Add 1 cup paella or bomba rice and spread evenly around pan to incorporate with chicken and vegetables. Cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon and moving pan around on burner every 2 minutes or so, until rice is starting to swell as it absorbs some liquid, 7–9 minutes.
Step 7
Reduce heat to medium-low and stir to evenly distribute rice, chicken, and vegetables across bottom of pan. Cook, undisturbed, moving pan around on burner every 2 minutes or so, until rice is slightly al dente and liquid is almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to high; cook until a crunchy socarrat (caramelized crust) forms underneath. Let paella cool 3 minutes before serving.
Recipe notes
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