Classic Paella

A crowd-pleasing paella with chorizo, chicken thighs and prawns, cooked until the rice crackles and turns deep golden brown.

Servings: 5

Prep: 30m

Cook: 1h

Total: 1h30m

120ml extra virgin olive oil
450g Spanish chorizo, cut into 2.5cm pieces
450g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2.5cm pieces
kosher salt
2 plum tomatoes, grated on the large holes of a box grater, skins and core discarded
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tsp saffron threads
1.4 litres low-sodium chicken stock
400g bomba rice
450g large raw prawns, peeled and deveined
lemon wedges, for serving

In a large, shallow paella pan or skillet (at least 30cm), heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook the chorizo, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate.
In the same pan over medium-high heat, cook the chicken, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes; season with salt.
Move the chicken to one side of the pan; place the tomatoes and garlic on the other side. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have caramelised, about 5 minutes. Add the paprika and saffron and cook, stirring, until warmed through, about 1 minute.
Add the stock and return the chorizo and any juices to the pan; season with salt. Bring to the boil, then add the rice and mix until covered by liquid. Do not touch or stir the rice from this point.
Cook over high heat for 5 minutes, then reduce to medium and cook for 5 minutes more. Reduce to low and cook, maintaining a gentle simmer, for 15 minutes.
Season the prawns with salt and lay them over the rice. Keep the paella at a simmer for a further 10 minutes, or until the rice is mostly absorbed and al dente — you should hear a crackling sound as the rice toasts on the bottom. Poke through the middle with a knife to check it’s browning properly.
Once deep golden brown, remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.