Paella Valencia
This recipe appeared in Of Rice and Men in our Spring 2024 issue.
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 lb whole chicken, cut into 6 pieces
- 1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
- 1 medium tomato, finely chopped
- 10 oz package frozen green peas
- 1 tsp mild paprika, or to taste
- 6 cup water, or as needed
- salt to taste
- 1 pinch saffron threads, or to taste
- 1 tsp chopped thyme, or to taste
- 1 tsp chopped rosemary, or to taste
- 3 cup short-grain white rice, or as needed
Heat a paella pan over medium-high heat, and coat with olive oil. Add chicken and garlic; cook and stir until nicely browned. Move the browned meat to the sides of the pan and add tomato and peas. Season with paprika and mix well.
Fill the paella pan almost to the top with water, measuring the water as you add it so you can determine the amount of rice to add later. Bring to a boil. Simmer for about 1 hour to make a nice broth.
Season with a generous amount of salt, just enough saffron for a yellow color, thyme, and rosemary. Stir in half as much rice as the amount of water added to the pan. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.
