Easy Spanish Paella: A Simple Recipe for Sharing

Paella is one of Spain’s best-loved dishes: a generous pan of rice flavoured with saffron, paprika and a savoury stock. It may look impressive, but it is straightforward to make at home once you know a few basics. This easy version combines chicken and prawns for a colourful, satisfying meal that is ideal for sharing.

Paella is traditionally cooked in a wide, shallow pan. If you do not have one, use your widest frying pan and keep the rice in a fairly even layer. The key is to let it cook undisturbed after adding the stock, so the grains can absorb the flavour without turning sticky.

Easy chicken and prawn paella

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: about 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 300g boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 200g chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• A pinch of saffron threads
• 300g paella rice, such as bomba or another short-grain rice
• 750ml–900ml hot chicken stock, according to the rice instructions
• 200g raw peeled prawns
• 100g frozen peas (optional)
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• Chopped parsley, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Brown the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a wide, shallow pan over a medium heat. Season the chicken and cook for 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden on the outside. Transfer it to a plate.
2. Make the flavour base. Add the onion and red pepper to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic and smoked paprika, then add the chopped tomatoes. Cook for a further 3–4 minutes.
3. Add the rice and saffron. Rub the saffron between your fingers and add it to the pan with the rice. Stir to coat the grains in the tomato mixture, then return the chicken to the pan.
4. Pour in the stock. Add the hot stock and season lightly. Spread the rice evenly across the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat. From this point, avoid stirring the rice.
5. Cook the paella. Simmer for around 10 minutes, then scatter over the prawns and peas, if using. Cook for another 8–10 minutes, until the rice is tender, the prawns are pink and cooked through, and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Add a splash more hot stock if the pan becomes dry before the rice is ready.
6. Rest and serve. Remove the pan from the heat, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for 5 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges and parsley.

Tips for an easier, tastier paella

• Choose the right rice. Paella or short-grain rice absorbs liquid well while keeping its shape. Long-grain rice is less suitable for this style of dish.
• Keep the rice in an even layer. A wide pan helps the stock evaporate evenly and gives the rice room to cook.
• Resist the urge to stir. Stirring can release starch and make the finished dish softer and stickier. A little browning at the bottom of the pan is welcome; it is known as socarrat.
• Check the stock guidance. Rice varieties and pans differ, so use the packet instructions as a guide and keep a little extra hot stock to hand.
• Make it your own. Add green beans or artichokes, swap the chicken for extra seafood, or leave out the prawns for a simple chicken version.

This easy Spanish-inspired paella is made for bringing to the table and sharing. Serve it straight from the pan with a crisp salad and plenty of lemon for a relaxed meal with a taste of Spain.

Easy Spanish Paella FAQs: Essential Ingredients, What to Avoid and Simple Cooking Tips

1. What not to put in a paella?
2. What are the 10 essential ingredients for paella?
3. How to make a Spanish paella?
4. How do you make a simple paella?

What not to put in a paella?

Traditional Valencian paella is made with ingredients such as rice, saffron, olive oil, chicken, rabbit, green beans and sometimes butter beans; seafood versions are a separate, popular style. There is no single rule for every home-cooked paella, but avoid adding ingredients that overwhelm the rice or make it mushy, such as too much liquid, cream or strongly flavoured sauces. Long-grain rice is also less suitable than paella or short-grain rice, which absorbs the stock while holding its shape. Choose a few ingredients that work well together, and let the saffron, paprika and stock bring the flavours together.

What are the 10 essential ingredients for paella?

For an easy chicken paella, ten useful essentials are paella rice, olive oil, chicken, onion, garlic, tomatoes, chicken stock, saffron, smoked paprika and green beans. Together, they create the dish’s savoury base, colour and distinctive Spanish-inspired flavour. Ingredients vary by region and recipe, so you can swap the chicken or beans for seafood, other vegetables or a mixture of both.

How to make a Spanish paella?

To make an easy Spanish paella, brown chicken pieces in olive oil, then soften chopped onion, red pepper and garlic in the same wide pan. Stir in chopped tomatoes, smoked paprika, saffron and paella rice, then pour in hot chicken stock and spread the rice into an even layer. Simmer gently without stirring until the rice is nearly tender, adding prawns and peas towards the end of cooking. Once the rice has absorbed the stock and the prawns are cooked through, leave the paella to rest for five minutes and serve with lemon wedges.

How do you make a simple paella?

To make a simple paella, brown bite-sized pieces of chicken in olive oil, then soften chopped onion, red pepper and garlic in the same pan. Stir in chopped tomatoes, smoked paprika, a pinch of saffron and short-grain paella rice. Pour in hot chicken stock, return the chicken to the pan and simmer gently without stirring until the rice is nearly tender. Add prawns and peas, if you like, and cook until the prawns are pink and cooked through. Leave the paella to rest for five minutes, then serve with lemon wedges.