Martha Stewart Chicken And Chorizo Paella Recipe

This is the paella I make when I am showing off. Martha Stewart’s Chicken and Chorizo Paella is built with saffron-infused stock, bone-in chicken thighs rubbed with smoked paprika, dried chorizo, vine-ripe tomatoes, and arborio rice, finished in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes.

It serves eight and looks like it took all day. I bring this dinner recipe out every summer when I have people coming over because the whole thing cooks in one pan and I can sit down with everyone instead of standing at the stove.

Try More Dinner Recipes:

• Chicken Pot Pie
• Baked Chicken Thighs
• Chicken Marsala

Why You Will Love This Chicken Chorizo Paella:

• Saffron changes the whole dish: Half a teaspoon blooms in the warm stock and turns the rice golden with that earthy, almost floral taste you cannot get from any other spice. I know saffron is expensive but you use so little and the difference is night and day.
• The oven does the hard part: You build the paella on the stove, then slide the whole pan into the oven for 20 minutes. No babysitting, no stirring. The rice finishes perfectly and the chicken skin gets crispy on top. I love walking away from a dish and having it come out better for it.
• Skin-on thighs are the move: Martha keeps the skin on and it renders fat into the rice while it bakes. That fat is what gives the bottom layer its flavour and keeps the meat from drying out. I would not make this with skinless.

Chicken And Chorizo Paella Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon ground saffron
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 1/2 pounds)
• 1 teaspoon pimenton (smoked Spanish paprika)
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 12 ounces dried chorizo, sliced 1/8 inch thick on the bias
• 1 white onion, coarsely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 medium vine-ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 2 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1 cup fresh shelled English peas

How To Make Martha Stewart Chicken And Chorizo Paella

1. Preheat and warm the stock: Set the oven to 400 degrees. In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the chicken stock with the saffron and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Keep it warm while you build the paella.
2. Season and brown the chicken: Rub the thighs with 2 teaspoons of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and the pimenton. Heat the oil in a 14-inch paella pan or large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Brown the chicken for 6 to 8 minutes, then move it to a plate.
3. Cook the chorizo and vegetables: Pour out all but 1 teaspoon of oil. Cook the chorizo over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, until thick, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the rice and stock: Stir in the rice, then pour in the warm saffron stock. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
5. Add peas and chicken, then bake: Scatter the peas over the rice and nestle the chicken pieces on top. Put the pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Let the paella stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Use dried chorizo, not fresh: This recipe calls for dried chorizo that you slice thin. It is cured and smoky, not the raw crumbly kind. I mixed these up once and the whole paella tasted greasy. Check the label for “dried” or “cured.”
• Warm the saffron stock first: Cold stock dropped onto hot rice will shock it and cook unevenly. Martha warms the stock with the saffron on the side so it is ready to go. The saffron also needs heat to bloom and release its colour and flavour.
• Let it rest the full 10 minutes: The rice continues to absorb liquid as it sits. If you serve it immediately the bottom will be soupy. After 10 minutes the texture sets and you might even get that crispy rice layer on the bottom, which is the best part.

Made It Six Times And Still Going

I read a comment from someone who said this is not the most authentic paella but they have made it at least six times. That is exactly how I feel about it. It is not trying to be what you get in Valencia. It is trying to be a great dinner and it is.

The pimenton and saffron together give it enough Spanish character that it feels real without needing a dozen specialty ingredients or a wood fire.

What Goes Well With This Paella

This is a full meal from one pan so I keep sides simple. A bowl of deviled eggs on the table while the paella rests gives people something to snack on.

A cold cucumber salad is the only side I ever add because the crunch and acid cut through the rich, smoky rice. Anything more and you are competing with the paella.

How To Store Leftovers

Leftover paella is drier the next day because the rice keeps absorbing. That is a feature, not a problem. Reheat in a skillet and the bottom gets crispy, which is basically the best version of this dish.

Fridge for 2 days. I would not freeze this because the rice texture never comes back right.

FAQs

• What is pimenton? Smoked Spanish paprika. It is smokier and deeper than regular paprika and Martha uses it to season the chicken before browning. You can find it in most spice aisles. If you cannot find it, regular smoked paprika works as a substitute.
• Can I use frozen peas instead of fresh? Yes. Martha calls for fresh shelled English peas but frozen peas work fine. Add them the same way, no need to thaw. I have used frozen plenty of times and the difference is small.
• Do I need a paella pan? A 14-inch ovenproof skillet works. Martha gives both options. The wider the pan, the thinner the rice layer, which means more crispy bottom. I use a cast iron skillet and it works perfectly.
• Can I use boneless chicken thighs? You can but the skin and bones add fat and flavour to the rice as it bakes. Martha uses bone-in, skin-on thighs for a reason. If you go boneless, reduce the bake time by about 5 minutes so the chicken does not dry out.

More Dinner Recipes:

• Chicken Enchiladas
• Spatchcock Chicken
• Chicken And Dumplings

Nutrition Facts

(1 serving, serves 8)

• Calories: 620
• Total Fat: 24g
• Saturated Fat: 8g
• Cholesterol: 150mg
• Sodium: 920mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 56g
• Protein: 42g