Foodanddrink

Quick and easy Spanish-style paella recipe

FP Media · Jul 18, 2026 19:30 · 3 min read

If you’re looking for a fast Spanish-style paella recipe, this one is fantastic. It’s colorful and flavorful, and despite the […]

Difficulty Level: moderate

15 min Prep

35 min Cook

50 min Total

6 Servings

If you’re looking for a fast Spanish-style paella recipe, this one is fantastic. It’s colorful and flavorful, and despite the fact that we’ve flagged it as moderate difficulty, it’s actually quite easy. We’ve only rated it as moderate because it has a few steps and isn’t simply a case of throwing everything into a pot and walking away, which is our definition of easy.

In this recipe, we add saffron threads to chicken broth, giving it a warm color and a little more Spanish-inspired flavor. The smoky chorizo, shrimp, and bomba rice give it the look of paella without all the complexity of more involved recipes. The only real challenge is getting the shrimp and rice to cook perfectly, and that may take a little finesse toward the end of cooking.

Once cooked, you have an impressive-looking dish that seems far more complicated than the steps actually required. Check out the ingredients and cooking instructions below for more.

Spanish Paella Recipe Ingredients

3 1/2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon of saffron threads
2 tablespoons of olive oil
12 ounces of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 ounces of Spanish chorizo, thinly chopped
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup of crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups of bomba, Valencia, or medium-grain rice
12 ounces of large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup of frozen peas
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Spanish Paella Recipe Instructions

Pour the chicken broth into a saucepan. Add the saffron and warm it over low heat. Keep the broth warm while preparing the other ingredients.
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.
Add the sliced chorizo and cook for another 2 minutes, allowing some of its smoky oil to release into the skillet.
Add the onion and bell pepper. Cook for 4 minutes, until they begin to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the crushed tomatoes, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the rice and stir for about 1 minute, making sure the grains are coated with the tomato and oil mixture.
Pour the warm broth evenly around the skillet. Gently spread the rice into an even layer and bring the liquid to a gentle boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes without stirring the rice.
Scatter the peas over the skillet and press the shrimp gently into the rice. Continue cooking for 8 minutes, until the shrimp is pink, the rice is tender, and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Check the rice and add up to 1/4 cup of hot water or broth if it is still too firm, then cook for another 3 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the heat once the rice is cooked. Cover it loosely with a lid or foil and leave the paella to rest for 5 minutes. Resting allows the rice to absorb the remaining liquid.
Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.