Paella De La Casa Recipe
Saffron Rice / Scallops / Mussels / Chicken / Clams / Shrimp / Chorizo (GF)
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Ingredients
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Broth & Seasoning
Rice & Base Vegetables
Proteins
Finish & Garnish
Method
Broth & Seasoning
- 1
Bloom saffron & combine liquids
Warm 2 tablespoons of hot water and add saffron threads. Let sit 5–10 minutes to bloom. In a medium saucepan, combine chicken broth and white wine and bring just to a simmer; keep hot on low heat. Stir the bloomed saffron (with its liquid) into the hot broth along with smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Keep warm.
Rice & Base Vegetables
- 2
Prepare sofrito
Heat a 15–16 inch paella pan or a large, wide sauté pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil. When hot, add chopped onion and sauté 4–5 minutes until translucent. Add diced red pepper and cook 3–4 minutes more until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Grate the tomato into the pan (or add 1/2 cup crushed tomato) and cook 4–5 minutes until mixture reduces slightly and flavors concentrate. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- 3
Toast rice
Add the paella rice to the sofrito and stir to coat the grains with oil and vegetables. Cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until rice edges look translucent—this helps keep the grain separate.
Proteins
- 4
Brown chicken and chorizo
Push the rice/sofrito to one side of the pan. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the empty area and raise heat to medium-high. Add chicken pieces, skin-side down, and sear 3–4 minutes until golden. Flip and sear other side 2 minutes. Move chicken to distribute around pan. Add sliced chorizo and cook 2 minutes to render some fat and develop color; tuck slices among rice.
- 5
Add broth and arrange seafood
Pour the hot saffron-infused broth evenly over the rice and proteins. Do not stir after this step. Use the back of a spoon to gently level the rice so it cooks evenly. Arrange mussels and clams hinge-side down in the rice, nestle shrimp in a single layer and press slightly so the top of the shrimp is visible, and place scallops on top. Reduce heat to medium-low so the liquid simmers gently. Cook uncovered 15–18 minutes, rotating the pan once if your burner is uneven, until rice has absorbed most of the liquid.
- 6
Finish cooking seafood
If mussels and clams remain closed after 15–18 minutes, cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil or a lid for 2–3 minutes to steam and force them to open. Discard any shellfish that do not open. Shrimp should be opaque and scallops just cooked through. Taste a grain of rice for doneness; it should be tender with slight bite. If rice is undercooked and liquid has evaporated, add up to 1/2 cup hot broth and continue cooking a few minutes.
Finish & Garnish
- 7
Rest and garnish
Remove pan from heat and let rest 5 minutes; this helps set the crust (socarrat) at the bottom and allows juices to redistribute. Sprinkle chopped parsley over the paella and dust with extra pimentón if using. Serve directly from the pan with lemon wedges for squeezing over individual portions.