Paella de Carne

Paella de Carne is an original recipe for this classic saffron-infused Spanish rice dish. It’s a feast of chorizo, chicken, prawns and vegetables. And the all-important paella rice that soaks up all the glorious flavours.

Why should I make Paella de Carne?

Paella de Carne is a one-pan dish that is so full of flavour and really very simple to make. I love the combination of spicy chorizo sausage, tender chicken and tasty prawns (shrimp).

The tomato and paprika sauce is absorbed into the paella rice along with the flavours of the other ingredients giving it a real punch flavour. Paella is great for feeding a crowd and is endlessly adaptable.

What is Paella and where does it come from?

Paella is a Spanish rice dish from Valencia that is cooked in a wide shallow pan. It’s not surprising that a rice dish represents this region as it is one of Spain’s most important rice-growing areas.

There is no single recipe for paella, it can contain vegetables, meat, game, fish and seafood. Like many iconic recipes, paella was originally peasant food. People working the land would use the ingredients from the land around them which is why it has so many variations.

Where does the name Paella come from?

La Paella is the name for the large wide pan that is traditionally used to cook the paella. Find out more about the history of paella.

Is this Paella recipe authentic?

I attended a Paella demonstration back in 2015. Afterwards, I requested the recipe and was delighted when Chef Antonio Bennetto kindly sent me his authentic recipe for paella and permission to publish it. This paella is delicious with a rich smoky flavour from the smoked paprika and chorizo.

What ingredients do I need to make Paella de Carne?

Most of the ingredients you will need are items that are easily available.

• Paella rice
• garlic infused olive oil
• pimenton de la vera dulce (smoked sweet paprika)
• Saffron
• Chicken stock 
• Tomatoes
• Onion
• Chicken breasts 
• Chorizo sausage 
• Fine green beans
• Peas
• Salt & pepper
• Roasted red pepper
• Lemon

What is paella rice?

Paella rice is a short-grain rice that is great for absorbing liquid. Use Bomba rice for the best paella, it absorbs 3 times it’s own volume in liquid as opposed to 2 times for long-grain rice. The bomba rice grains expand in width creating little bombs of flavour! The other type of paella rice to use is Calasparra rice or rice labelled as paella rice.

I don’t have paella rice, what can I use as a substitute?

Use arborio risotto rice or short-grain ‘pudding’ rice as a substitute for paella rice. Use a bit less liquid because paella rice absorbs more than these other types of rice.

I don’t have garlic-infused oil, what can I use?

Garlic infused olive oil is fairly easily available. However, if you can’t find any you can make your own garlic-infused oil as it’s a simple process

What is Pimenton de la vera dulce?

Pimenton de la vera dulce is a type of smoked paprika that is produced in Spain. There are three types of Pimenton de la vera:

• dulce – sweet
• agridulce – medium
• picante – hot

Use the sweet and mild Pimenton de la vera dulce in this recipe.

What is Saffron?

Saffron is the dried stamens of the saffron crocus. Saffron is expensive because the stamens are very delicate and must be picked by hand. You only need to use a small quantity of saffron in the paella recipe but it does add a special flavour and colour to the dish.

What can I substitute for Saffron?

Use turmeric as a substitute for saffron. Turmeric will give you a golden colour for the paella and it won’t affect the flavour.

Can I buy roasted red pepper?

Yes, roasted red peppers are available to buy from deli counters and in jars of brine. The jars are really convenient as you can use as many as you need and store the rest in the fridge for another day and another recipe!

You can also make your own roasted red peppers by charring them over a flame. Put the charred peppers into a plastic bag and after a short time, you will be able to slip the skins off the peppers.

Can I make Paella de Carne ahead of time?

Prepare all the ingredients ahead of cooking time and cook the paella up to 45 minutes before you want to serve it. Let the paella rest in the pan covered with foil to keep it warm.

Why do I need to rest Paella?

It’s important to rest paella because it makes a notable difference to the texture and the taste. Rest the paella for a minimum of 15 minutes, but if you have time you should rest it for 45 minutes and you will really see a difference. If you choose to rest for 45 minutes, make sure you cover the pan loosely with kitchen foil to keep it warm.

Can I freeze Paella?

Paella isn’t really suitable for freezing and is better eaten on the day you make it. While the rice will freeze, the cooked chicken and prawns will become a little bit rubbery in texture and the vegetables will lose texture.

Vegetarian

Paella de Carne contains meat and fish and is not suitable for vegetarians. However, Vegetable Paella is a good alternative.

Gluten Free

Most of the ingredients in paella are gluten-free. However, please check the labels of any manufactured items. In particular check the chorizo as some manufacturers who make chorizo may make other meat products that contain gluten and there may be cross-contamination.

How do I serve Paella de carne?

Serve the paella in the pan straight to the table. If you don’t have a suitable pan you can slip the paella onto a large serving plate. Great paella should have a layer of rice caramelised on the bottom of the pan together with looking compact and caramelised on top.

Only fluff up the Paella when you are about to serve, and add the lemons just before serving!

More rice recipes from Farmersgirl Kitchen

Easy Smoked Mackerel Kedgeree is a mildly spiced rice dish with flakes of soft smoked mackerel, and sweet peas and topped with quartered hard-boiled. It is traditionally served for breakfast but makes the perfect lunch or speedy supper.

Spicy Prawn and Chorizo Rice is one of my favourite easy one-pot recipes. All the flavour from the spicy chorizo and smoked paprika is absorbed by the rice, and the juicy prawns are a wonderful treat.

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Paella de Carne

Antonio Bennetto

Paella de Carne is an original recipe for this classic saffron-infused Spanish rice dish. It's a feast of chorizo, chicken, prawns and vegetables. And the all-important paella rice that soaks up all the glorious flavours.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Spanish

Servings 4

Calories 524 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Paella Pan or a 30cm Large Heavy bottom frying pan
• 1 small pan for tomatoes

Ingredients

• 200 g Spanish paella rice bomba or calasparra
• 2 tbs garlic infused olive oil
• 1 tsp pimenton de la vera dulce smoked sweet paprika
• Pinch saffron or turmeric if you don’t have saffron
• 675 ml good quality chicken stock 475ml if using calasparra
• 4 large ripe tomatoes
• 1 small white onion
• 2 medium sized fresh chicken breasts diced into 25mm chunks
• 100 g fresh chorizo sausage sliced into rounds about ½ a cm in thickness
• 250 grams uncooked prawns
• 40 g fine beans top, tailed and chopped into 1cm
• 30 g garden peas
• Pinch salt & pepper
• 1 roasted red pepper cut into quarters to garnish
• 1 lemon cut into wedges

Instructions

 

• Cut the onion and pepper into roughly 2cm cubes.
• Score a small cross on the base of each tomato, then carefully place into a pan with boiling water, leave for 20 to 30 seconds, then remove using a slotted spoon.
• Drop the tomatoes into a bowl of ice cold water and leave to cool. Remove the tomatoes then peel away the skin. Cut the tomatoes into quarters, remove the seeds with a spoon, and then roughly chop the flesh. Set the chopped tomato aside.
• Place a Paella pan or sauté pan over medium heat and when hot pour in the garlic infused olive oil. Add the onions and peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened then move to one side of the pan.
  
• Add the chicken, prawns and chorizo, stirring through and cook for 2-3 minutes until the chicken starts to brown and the chorizo begins to lightly caramelise before mixing back through with the peppers and onion.
• Add the diced tomatoes, almost all of the chicken stock (leave 50 to 75ml back) and the pimenton, saffron/or turmeric.
  
• Mix in the green beans and peas, turn the heat up and once the broth is at a rolling boil and the chicken is cooked through.
• Taste to make sure you are happy with the flavour (at this point you are looking for a strong flavour of smokey paprika, saffron (if using) and a rich chicken stock kick) – season with salt and pepper if required.
• Add the Paella rice making a cross in the pan with the rice from one side to the other.
  
• Share the rice around the pan carefully using a spoon to distribute the rice into the 4 sections making sure the rice is even and in every part of the pan. Cook for 10 minutes on medium to high heat. Do not stir.
• Turn the heat down to low, place the roasted red pepper quarters on top of the paella and cook for 10 minutes until the broth has been absorbed by the rice.
  
• Have the remaining chicken stock on hand to gently ladle over the rice if required at any point within these 10 minutes.
• Once the broth has totally disappeared, check that the rice is al dente – cooked but with a slight bite, then turn off the heat and let it rest!
• Serve Paella de Carne from the pan with lemon wedges.
  

Notes

A Rest is so important: 15 minutes is the La Tasca golden rule, however if you have the luxury of waiting up to 45 minutes you will see a notable difference in texture and condensed taste. If you choose the 45 minute wait, make sure you cover the pan loosely with kitchen foil.

Nutrition

Calories: 524kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 36gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 884mgPotassium: 1065mgFiber: 5gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 1519IUVitamin C: 48mgCalcium: 54mgIron: 4mg

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