Chicken paella with squid and beans
This much-loved Spanish dish is the ideal one-pan supper. Traditionally made for Sunday lunch, it’s cooked over an aromatic open fire in a shady spot away from the fierce midday sun, with everyone diving into the finished creation to nab the choicest morsels.
Looking for a vegetarian alternative? Our black rice paella with artichokes, peppers and spinach is the one for you.
Or, if you’ve got a little time to browse, we’ve got over 160 recipes in our Spanish cuisine section to inspire you.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 6 skin-on free-range chicken thighs, boned and cut in half
- ½ large Spanish onion, chopped
- 280g flat or runner beans (we used helda beans), chopped
- 150g prepared squid, chopped into 1cm pieces (see our guide on how to prepare squid)
- ¼-½ tsp saffron, toasted in a dry pan
- 1 tsp smoked sweet pimentón (see Know-how)
- 1 tbsp smoked hot pimentón (see Know-how)
- 2 large fresh tomatoes on the vine, finely chopped
- 1 fat garlic clove, crushed
- 750ml chicken stock
- 250g paella rice (we used calasparra; see tip)
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 1 bushy rosemary sprig
- Small handful of parsley, chopped (optional)
- Lemon wedges for squeezing
You’ll also need…
- 34-36cm paella pan or large shallow casserole
Method
- Heat a splash of the oil in the pan over a medium-high heat. Season the chicken, add to the pan and brown all over (this will take 15-20 minutes)
- Once well browned, transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the remaining oil to the pan, turn down the heat to low-medium, then fry the onion and beans with a pinch of salt for 8 minutes until softened.
- Add the squid, stirring to coat, then cook for a couple of minutes to colour. Stir in the toasted saffron and both types of pimentón cook for a minute until fragrant, then stir in the tomatoes and garlic. Pour in the chicken stock. Bring to the boil, then sprinkle over the rice in an even layer, using a wooden spoon to stir it into the liquid. Stir only once – you’re aiming to create a crust on the bottom of the pan. Poke the chicken pieces into the rice with the herbs, bring back up to a fast simmer, then bubble over a medium heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Turn down the heat to low, simmer for another 5 minutes, then cover the pan with a double layer of foil, tucking in the edges to seal the steam inside. Cook for a further 5 minutes, then take the pan off the heat and set aside, still covered, for 5 minutes to let the rice steam.
- Sprinkle over the chopped parsley, if you like, then serve the paella with lemon wedges for squeezing.
- Recipe from August 2019 Issue
Nutrition
- Calories
- 374kcals
- Fat
- 12.9g (2.6g satrurated)
- Protein
- 25.1g
- Carbohydrates
- 38.1g (3.5g sugars)
- Fibre
- 2.7g
- Salt
- 1.4g
delicious. tips
Buy calasparra rice in delis or online at ocado.com or brindisa.com.
The crust on the bottom of the paella pan, known as socarrat, is prized. Cook the rice over a high heat, then rest the dish at the end to let the crust set.
Pimentón (Spanish smoked paprika) comes in dulce (sweet), agridulce (bittersweet/medium-hot) or picante (hot) varieties. Find it in larger supermarkets. We used the brand La Chinata.
Nothing beats a youthful, fruity Spanish rosé (rosado) with a classic like this.
Buy ingredients online
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