Favorite Skillet Chicken Paella
Submitted by gerry
Skillet chicken paella with boneless chicken breast, long grain rice, saffron, oregano, stewed tomatoes, sweet red pepper, and frozen peas. A weeknight, no-paella-pan version of the Spanish classic. One pan, 40 minutes.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
25 minREADY
40 minA Weeknight Chicken Paella in a Single Skillet
Traditional Spanish paella demands a wide, shallow paella pan and a careful technique that builds the prized socarrat (the crisp rice crust at the bottom). This streamlined version skips the special equipment and goes for flavor over technical purity. A 10-inch skillet, boneless chicken breast, long grain rice, and the iconic saffron backbone give you something close to the spirit of paella without the production.
What makes this version work as a weeknight meal is the order of operations. Sear the chicken first, then cook it out so it stays tender. Build the rice with the saffron-infused broth so each grain takes on the golden color and floral perfume. Add tomatoes, peas, and red bell pepper near the end so they keep their texture and color. Stir the chicken back in just to heat through.
Saffron is non-essential if you don’t have it. Turmeric gives the same color and a milder, earthier note for a fraction of the cost.
Chef Tips
- Cook the chicken in two batches, not all at once. Crowded chicken steams instead of browning, and the brown bits in the pan are the foundation of paella’s flavor.
- Don’t rinse the rice. The starch on the surface is what helps the rice grains cling slightly and gives paella its signature texture.
- Resist the urge to stir during the rice simmer. Stirring releases starch and turns paella into risotto.
- Bloom the saffron in 2 tablespoons of warm broth for 5 minutes before adding to the pan. It releases the color and flavor more thoroughly.
- Let the finished paella rest 5 minutes off heat before serving. The rice continues to absorb liquid and finish cooking.
Variations
- Add 12 peeled shrimp and 8 oz of sliced chorizo along with the chicken for a seafood and meat version.
- Stir in 1 cup of cooked white beans or chickpeas with the peas for a more rustic, Spanish-country feel.
- Top finished paella with sliced black olives and chopped fresh parsley for a brighter presentation.
Ingredients
Directions
Remove skin from chicken breast. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into bite-sized strips. In a 10 inch skillet cook chicken strips, half at a time, in hot oil for 2 to 3 minutes or until no longer pink.
Remove chicken from skillet. Add onion and garlic to skillet; cook until tender but not brown. Remove skillet from heat.
Add broth, uncooked rice, oregano, paprika, salt, pepper and saffron or turmeric. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 15 minutes.
Coarsely chop stewed tomatoes and add with their juice to the pan. Add sweet red pepper which has been cut into strips and frozen peas. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes more or until rice is tender.
Stir in cooked chicken. Cook and stir about 1 minute more or until heated through. Serve warm.
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