SpanishLunch

Recipe Story

origins & traditions

Paella Valenciana is the original paella from Valencia, Spain, predating the more internationally known seafood versions. This authentic recipe combines tender pieces of chicken and rabbit with fresh green beans, butter beans, and tomatoes, all cooked together with short-grain rice infused with precious saffron threads. The key to perfect paella is achieving the socarrat - a crispy, caramelized layer of rice at the bottom of the pan. Unlike other rice dishes, paella rice is never stirred during cooking, allowing each grain to absorb maximum flavor while maintaining its integrity. The result is a golden, aromatic one-pot meal that captures the essence of Spanish countryside cooking, traditionally enjoyed as a communal lunch dish outdoors.

Instructions

step by step

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Season chicken pieces and rabbit with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a paella pan over medium-high heat.
Add chicken and rabbit pieces, browning on all sides for 8-10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, sauté green beans for 3-4 minutes until slightly tender. Remove and set aside.
Add diced onions and minced garlic to the pan, cooking until softened, about 3 minutes.
Stir in diced tomatoes and cook until they break down into a sauce, about 5 minutes.
Add paprika and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Return chicken and rabbit to the pan, arranging evenly. Pour in chicken broth and add saffron threads. Bring to a boil.
Sprinkle rice evenly across the pan without stirring. Add rosemary sprigs and bay leaves.
Arrange green beans and butter beans on top of the rice. Reduce heat to medium-low.
Cook uncovered for 20-25 minutes without stirring, until rice has absorbed liquid and is tender.
Increase heat to high for final 2-3 minutes to create socarrat (crispy bottom).
Remove from heat, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Paella Valenciana

4.8 (21)

A classic Valencian rice dish featuring chicken, rabbit, green beans, and butter beans cooked with saffron-infused bomba rice in a traditional paella pan over an open flame.

medium

1h 10m

6 servings

Ingredients

0 of 12 checked

Proteins

600 grams chicken-thigh, cut into pieces

Base

4 tablespoons olive-oil
2 cups rice-white

Vegetables

2 cups green-beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 pieces tomatoes, peeled and diced

Aromatics

1 pieces onions, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced

Spices

2 teaspoons paprika

Herbs

2 teaspoons rosemary, fresh sprigs
2 pieces bay-leaves

Seasonings

2 teaspoons salt, to taste
1 teaspoons black-pepper, freshly ground

Chef Tips

expert advice

•For authentic paella, use Spanish bomba or Calasparra rice - never rinse it as the starch helps absorb flavors.

•The stock-to-rice ratio should be 2.5:1.

•Resist the urge to stir once rice is added - this is what makes paella different from risotto.

•Listen for a faint crackling sound near the end of cooking, indicating the formation of socarrat.

•If rabbit is hard to find, you can use all chicken, though traditional Valencians insist on rabbit.

•Fresh saffron is expensive but essential - do not substitute with turmeric.

•For outdoor cooking over wood fire, adjust heat by moving coals.

•Paella is best enjoyed immediately but can be gently reheated.

Spanish

⭐ Highly Rated

25 minmedium