Fast Spanish Paella
A fast version of the classic pan dish
A streamlined paella that delivers the flavor and texture of the traditional version in less than an hour.
Shopping list
- arroz bomba 400 g
- chickpeas 200 g
- large shrimp 12
- cleaned mussels 500 g
- chicken thighs 4
- onion 1
- red bell pepper 1
- garlic 4 cloves
- grated tomato 1
- sweet paprika 1 tsp
- hot chicken stock 1.2 L
- olive oil 4 tbsp
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Adapts the classic dish to under an hour while keeping the signature socarrat crust.
Ingredients
- 400 g arroz bomba
- 200 g chickpeas drained
- 12 shrimp large
- 500 g mussels cleaned
- 4 chicken thighs, in one piece each
- 1 onion very finely chopped
- 1 bell pepper red, seeded and finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 tomato grated
- 1 tsp paprika sweet
- 1.2 L chicken stock hot
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Method
-
5 min
Place a very wide, heavy-based paella pan or similar skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil until hot and shimmering.
-
6 min
Add the chicken pieces skin-side down and cook for 3 minutes without moving so they brown, then turn and cook another 2 minutes.
Tip Do not crowd the pan; brown in two batches if needed to keep the pan roomy.
-
4 min
Transfer the chicken to a plate, add the finely chopped onion and sweet bell pepper, and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft and translucent.
-
2 min
Stir in the grated tomato, paprika, salt and black pepper and cook for 1 minute until the paprika is fragrant and not bitter.
Tip Toasting the paprika for only seconds prevents it from going acrid.
-
2 min
Return the chicken with its juices to the pan, scatter the drained chickpeas over the top and press them into the oil.
-
1 min
Pile the bomba rice in the center of the pan, creating a small depression in the middle, and level it gently with the back of a spoon.
Tip Do not stir the rice after adding the liquid.
-
2 min
Pour the hot chicken stock over the rice in a slow stream, keeping the stock away from the edges, and let it come to a gentle simmer without boiling hard.
Tip Hot stock steeps the grains evenly and cuts the total cooking time.
-
8 min
Simmer gently for 8 minutes without touching the rice; as the stock is absorbed, the liquid will disappear from the center.
-
3 min
Gently nestle the mussels, shrimp and cleaned squid around the edges of the rice in a circular pattern, making small wells for them to cook in.
Tip Adding them now stops overcooking and lets their juices flavor the rice.
-
7 min
Let it continue to simmer gently for another 7 minutes until all the stock is absorbed and the seafood is just cooked through.
-
4 min
Turn off the heat, drizzle a little extra olive oil over the top, cover the pan with foil and rest it for 4 minutes.
Tip Resting lets the rice finish absorbing moisture and develops the socarrat.
-
3 min
Before serving, gently stir in a squeeze of lemon and scatter fresh parsley over the top, then slide the pan straight to the table.
Chef's tips
- Make sure the stock is hot before it meets the rice so the grains start cooking immediately and evenly.
- Do not stir the rice after the stock is added; moving it releases starch and makes the texture mushy.
- Watch the surface of the rice; when it starts to look dry and the stock has disappeared, you are close to the end.
- A squeeze of lemon and fresh herbs just before eating brightens the whole dish.
Swap it
- Mussels to clams
- Use cleaned, fresh clams instead of mussels; they need the same cooking time.
- Shrimp to prawns
- Any raw, shell-on prawn of similar size works; cook them toward the end.
- Chicken to chorizo
- For a smoky twist, swap the chicken thighs for sliced chorizo and reduce the stock slightly.
- Bomba rice to any short-grain
- If bomba is not available, use other short- or medium-grain rice and adjust the stock by eye.