A flavorful and easy-to-make Spanish paella featuring tender chicken, spicy chorizo, succulent shrimp, and fragrant saffron rice. This recipe balances bold spices with fresh herbs and lemon zest for a vibrant dish perfect for any occasion.
Cut the chicken breasts into pieces and marinate them in olive oil with salt, black pepper, paprika, and dried oregano. Refrigerate to let the flavors meld. Select a short-grain rice like bomba or Valencia and avoid rinsing it to keep the starch intact.
Heat olive oil in a pan over the stove, then add chopped garlic and crushed ground red pepper to infuse the oil with flavor. Add the marinated chicken and chorizo, frying until browned but the chicken is not fully cooked.
Add chopped onion and bell pepper to the pan and sauté until the onion softens and becomes translucent.
Stir in the rice and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, mixing continuously until the rice is translucent and well coated with the oil.
Add saffron, bay leaf, and broth, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the pan sides. After this, avoid stirring too much to allow the rice to cook properly.
Sprinkle in chopped fresh parsley and lemon zest, then mix gently.
Cover the pan and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes until the liquid is fully absorbed by the rice.
Nestle peeled shrimp into the top layer of rice, cover, and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until the shrimp are cooked through.
Serve sprinkled with fresh parsley and drizzled with lemon juice.