This is probably the least authentic paella dish ever made, but it’s the only one I know and it’s so tasty it’s on regular rotation for dinner at our house. Using only basic ingredients, the paprikas, sweet and smoky, are the key to the spanish flavour in this dish. Try it once and I guarantee you’ll make it again.
The ingredients are basic, and the vegetables can be exchanged for any of your favourites, or left out all together if you prefer to serve them seperately. This is a very flexible recipe. Keep the essential ingredients and change the other items as you choose.
Ingredients:
(to serve four adults)
Essential
- 4 chicken thigh fillets, boneless, cubed
- 1 chorizo sausage, finely sliced
- 400g tin of diced tomato
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked and 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 cup (uncooked) rice
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional
- 12 mushrooms, sliced
- 1 red capsicum, diced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional, only if you desire
In a large frypan, brown the onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft, add the chicken, spices and then the chorizo and cook until the chicken is lightly browned. If using mushrooms, add them in to fry for a short while with the chicken.
Once the chicken is just browned, add the rice, tomatoes, water and stock. Stir well, add vegetables if using them and bring the mixture to the boil.
Once boiling, cover and reduce to a simmer. You’ll need to give it a stir every 5 minutes or so, observing the liquid levels, for about 20 minutes.
Once the liquid has dissappeared, test to see if the rice is cooked (I usually just eat a little bit!). If it’s still hard, add 1/4 cup of boiling water, stir it in and leave it 5 minutes.
Repeat until the rice is cooked. Once it’s cooked, turn the heat off and let the paella sit in the pan for
This is on our dinner menu regularly because it’s budget-friendly, healthy, creates few dishes and is very, very tasty! Oh, and it goes well with a nice glass of red at the end of a long day. Comfort food at it’s finest.
A Tale of Two Kitchens 