The Chicken Paella Recipe of
the Average Spanish Family

(Paella de Pollo)


By Edu Valor / Author - Spanish Chef

This chicken paella recipe is one of my favorites. The rich flavor of chicken with paella rice is comforting and affordable, making it a go-to dish in our family.

We often had it on Wednesdays or Sundays. Sometimes my mom added shrimp or calamari from the freezer, giving it a paella mixta vibe.

It was delicious, but I think a true paella mixta needs more proteins, like clams or fish, and a touch of acidity for balance.

Chicken paella is easy to make, and I love simple, flavorful recipes. Whenever it was on the menu, we couldn’t wait for lunch!

Spanish chicken paella on a plate with a glass of white wine. A tasty and economical chicken paella.

Some of you might be worried about the type of rice to use. Don’t be! I made this at home with long-grain rice, and it’s still good.

Just keep an eye on the cooking time. Some round-grain rice can get mushy if cooked too long.

I’ve never been too concerned about using long-grain, non-sticky rice. It works, and everyone loves it!

Ingredients for 4 Servings

Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 18 minutes for the Bomba rice, approx. 45 minutes to 1 hour total.

*Measurements in metric and USA Imperial system. For British/Canadian measurements please use the metric conversion calculator.

Using a different rice may change the cooking time. The info is usually on the packaging.

  • 1 chicken, cut and seasoned
  • 350g/12.5 oz bomba rice (or similar)
  • 1L/34 fl oz chicken broth
  • 200g/7 oz tomato cubes or puree
  • 2 spring onions, chopped in rings
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, short strips
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, short strips
  • 1/2 tsp Jerez vinegar (wine vinegar works too)
  • 150g/5 oz peas
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 5-6 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 pinch of saffron (or 1/2 tsp yellow food dye)

Let's Make a Real Chicken Paella Recipe!

  1. Pour oil in the pan and sprinkle some salt over it.
  2. Brown the meat well over medium-high fire until it's crispy brown.
  3. Lower fire to medium. Push the meat to the sides of the pan and add the tomato, garlic, paprika, and vinegar. Sauté until the tomato juice evaporates — this step is crucial for flavor! Some chefs even brown the tomato mixture.
  4. Add the red and green peppers, stir to combine everything.
  5. Pour in the broth and stir! Taste and season if needed. Bring it to a boil, then add the rice, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
  6. Immediately add the saffron and spring onions.
  7. After 10 minutes, add the peas and lower fire to medium-low and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes.
  8. If you want the socarrat (crispy rice at the bottom), use a narrow spatula to check if the rice is browned underneath. If not, raise fire to high and cook for another 90 seconds to 2 minutes.
  9. Turn off the fire and cover the pan with aluminum foil, a lid or a clean kitchen towel. Let it rest for 5 minutes.

Spanish chicken paella in a pan and white wine.Chicken paella is a common dish in Spain.

TIPS: 

  • Sauté the tomato with garlic and paprika well. It'll enhance the taste.
  • Adding the salt in the beginning will limit browning of the pan as well as oil splatters.
  • Another rice than Bomba may have different cooking time and water/broth amount.
  • Taste before adding the rice.
  • The vinegar is there to enhance the flavors. It adds punch!
  • Use meat with bone, it adds taste.

What You Will Need

  1. A paella pan for 4 servings*
  2. A paella burner*
  3. Spatula
  4. Meat knife
  5. Paring knife
  6. Cutting board
  7. Measuring beaker
  8. Scale

*The paella pan with burner can be replaced with an electric paella pan for indoor (or outdoor) cooking. Never use a gas burner indoors unless it has a safety sensor!!

A Cheap and Easy Family Dish

Families often have to keep an eye on their budget each month. Affordable ingredients can really help, as daily meals make up a big part of our expenses.

Dishes like this Spanish chicken paella recipe are nutritious, tasty, and budget-friendly. It’s a win all around!

I’d describe my family as modest. We weren’t wealthy in the '70s and '80s (and we still aren’t), but we managed — partly thanks to stews, pasta, and rice dishes. A lot of them didn’t need much attention while cooking.

Low-cost ingredients were easy to find, even back then. They helped my parents stick to their monthly budget.

Edu's Authentic Spanish Paella Recipes