I always thought paella was a "fancy weekend" dish until I realised you don't need a paella pan or saffron to make a seriously good version at home. I've made this chicken and chorizo paella affordable, easy, and meal prep-friendly - my taste-testers were seriously obsessed with this one!
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Why you'll love this recipe
Smoky chorizo. Chorizo adds depth and spice, like in in my Cajun chorizo orzo bake or chorizo lentil soup.
High-protein. A satisfying meal packed with protein like my chicken tzatziki salad or chicken cacciatore soup.
One-pan. Everything cooks in the same skillet meaning less clean-up - everyone likes that so try others including my chicken minestrone soup and chicken pesto risotto
Weeknight-friendly. Ready in around 30 minutes. If you like quick meals, make sure to try out my chicken red pepper onion stir fry and creamy mushroom chicken with mashed potatoes.
Ingredients and substitutions
Chicken thighs. They stay juicy and flavourful and bring slightly more flavour than chicken breasts so they aren't too overpowered by the chorizo.
Bell peppers. I chose different colours to look good, and get different micronutrients (the more colour you eat, the better!)
Sweet paprika and turmeric. Paprika adds smokiness, while turmeric gives colour similar to saffron (without the cost). I've tasted traditional paella from Spain before and this paella without saffron comes very close.
Arborio rice. Bomba, Calasparra or Valencia rice are traditional in paellas, but they can be expensive and hard to find. Arborio (or sometimes called risotto rice) is the budget-friendly version and is available in the regular supermarkets.
See my post about the different kinds of rice if you're after more information.
Chicken stock. I use a homemade chicken stock and believe it adds the best flavour. If using store-bought, try and get one that is a little better quality as it adds to the base of the flavour (which you don't want to skimp on).
White wine vinegar. The acidity helps to balance out the rich flavours in the dish. You could use other versions of vinegar, too.
Crushed tomatoes. You can use tinned tomatoes (like I did), or whole tomatoes which have been crushed, or passata if you don't like the chunkiness.
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity.
How to make chicken chorizo paella
Step 1: Brown chicken thighs in a large skillet (approx. 5 minutes each side). Remove and set aside, keeping the rendered fat.
Step 2: Sauté diced onion and sliced chorizo in the same pan until fragrant (approx. 5 minutes).
Step 3: Stir in arborio rice, garlic, paprika, and turmeric-let it toast for approximately 2 minutes for extra flavour.
Step 4: Add crushed tomatoes, white wine vinegar, and chicken stock. Stir once to combine, then don't stir again so the rice can develop a crust. Once bubbling, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for approx. 15 minutes.
Step 5: Nestle chicken back into the pan, scatter over sliced capsicums, and cook until rice is tender. You can stir occasionally now. Add extra stock if rice is looking too dry.
Step 6: Stir in frozen peas at the end, and finish with lemon wedges and parsley.
My Top Tips
Don't stir. As the liquid reduces and is absorbed by the rice, don't stir. This helps form the signature paella crust on the bottom.
Taste before seasoning. Chorizo and stock add salt- I wouldn't recommend adding salt to this, especially before you've tasted it!
Pan. If you don't have a paella pan (it's not necessary), I do recommend using a cast iron as this will give you the crust that's traditional in paella. Alternatively, a cast iron can work but I wouldn't use a non-stick as this won't give you that classic crust (it will still taste good though)
Can paella be made ahead of time?
Chicken and chorizo paella is surprisingly meal prep-friendly! Let it cool for at least 30 minutes before portioning into containers. If you put the lids on and they fog up, it needs to cool down more (no longer than 2 hours at room temperature). It can then be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheating Paella
Yes, I recommend adding a splash of chicken stock before microwaving so it doesn't dry out.
Microwave in short bursts (1 minute) and stir gently between. It should take approx. 3 minutes to heat through.
You could also reheat on the stove by adding a bit of oil or stock to the pan and reheating on medium for approx. 5 minutes.
My Top Tip
Always garnish with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon after reheating-it makes leftovers taste freshly made..)
Freezing chorizo chicken paella
You can freeze paella in single portions. The texture of the rice becomes slightly softer, but the flavours hold up well. If you know you're going to be freezing it, undercook the rice slightly so it holds up better.
It can be frozen in airtight containers, bags or souper cubes for up to 6 months.
To reheat from frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge, then microwave with a splash of stock. If you've vacuumed sealed it, you can reheat directly in the vacuum seal bag in a large pot of boiling water.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
Nope! A large skillet, sauté pan, or even a wide Dutch oven works perfectly. The key is to use a pan with a large surface area so the rice cooks evenly and develops a bit of crust at the bottom (aka the "socarrat").
My Top Tip: If you don't have a paella pan, cast iron is a great alternative because it retains heat well and helps get that golden crust. Try to avoid non-stick as it won't quite get that crust.
Traditional paella uses bomba or calasparra rice, but arborio is a great budget-friendly substitute.
Saffron is the traditional spice used in paella, giving it a distinctive golden color, earthy aroma, and subtle floral flavor. But saffron is one of the most expensive spices in the world, and it's not always easy to find in a regular supermarket.
Using sweet paprika and turmeric together is a budget-friendly way to mimic some of saffron's characteristics:
1. Color: Turmeric adds a warm, golden hue that makes the paella look vibrant and appetising-similar to saffron.
2. Smoky depth: Sweet paprika adds a gentle smokiness and savoury depth that balances out the rich chorizo and chicken.
3. Cost & Accessibility: Both spices are inexpensive and widely available, making this recipe more approachable for everyday cooking and meal prep.
My Top Tip: If you do have saffron, you can still add a pinch for authenticity-bloom it in warm stock before adding it to the rice for maximum flavour release.
Other chicken thigh recipes
Or, you can have a browse through my chicken thigh recipes for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Chicken and Chorizo Paella
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Equipment
- Cast Iron Pan, optional
Ingredients
- 15 g (1 tablespoon) olive oil
- 100 g (3 ½ oz) onion, approx.1
- 4 cloves garlic
- 250 g (9 oz) chorizo, approx.3
- 300 g (10 ½ oz) chicken thigh, approx.4
- 100 g (3 ½ oz) red pepper, or capsicum, approx.1
- 100 g (3 ½ oz) yellow pepper, or capsicum, approx.1
- 8 g (1 tablespoon) sweet paprika, see note 1
- 8 g (1 tablespoon) turmeric, see note 1
- 750 ml (3 cups) chicken stock, homemade or store-bought, see note 2
- 60 ml (¼ cups) white wine vinegar, subs note 3
- 400 g (2 cups) arborio rice, subs note 4
- 160 g (1 cups) frozen peas
- 400 g (14 oz) crushed tomatoes, approx.1 can, subs note 5
- 15 g (1 tablespoon) tomato paste, optional but recommended
- 1 lemon
Instructions
Prepare
- Dice: 100 g (3 ½ oz) onion and (finely) 4 cloves garlic
- Thinly slice or dice: 100 g (3 ½ oz) red pepper, 100 g (3 ½ oz) yellow pepper
- Slice: 250 g (9 oz) chorizo
Cook
- Heat a large skillet with 15 g (1 tablespoon) olive oil then brown 300 g (10 ½ oz) chicken thigh (approx. 5 minutes each side). Remove and set aside, keeping the rendered fat in the skillet.
- Sauté 100 g (3 ½ oz) onion and 250 g (9 oz) chorizo in the same pan until fragrant (approx. 5 minutes).
- Stir in 400 g (2 cups) arborio rice, 4 cloves garlic, 8 g (1 tablespoon) sweet paprika, 8 g (1 tablespoon) turmeric -let it toast for approximately 2 minutes.
- Add 400 g (14 oz) crushed tomatoes, 60 ml (¼ cups) white wine vinegar, 750 ml (3 cups) chicken stock, 15 g (1 tablespoon) tomato paste. Stir once to combine, then don't stir again so the rice can develop a crust. Once bubbling (approx. 5 minutes), reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for approx. 15 minutes.
- Nestle chicken back into the pan, scatter over sliced 100 g (3 ½ oz) red pepper and 100 g (3 ½ oz) yellow peppercapsicums, and cook until rice is tender (approx. 5 minutes). You can stir occasionally now. Add extra stock if rice is looking too dry.
- Stir in 160 g (1 cups) frozen peas at the end with a squeeze of juice from 1 lemon.
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