Paella in a sautee pan.

Paella

Ken Oringer - Americas Test Kitchen
I still remember the first time I had paella . . . I almost fell into it! My dad was doing a cooking event in Wyoming and my family came along. He and some other chefs were cooking paella outside in a huge field, which happened to have a play structure on it. My brother and I (about ages 6 and 8 at the time) were playing on the monkey bars. At one point, Luca pointed down at the HUGE pan that was right underneath us, filled with rice and sausage and seafood and saffron. As we were swinging on the bars, I almost fell into it! Luckily, Luca helped me to hang on. Once we climbed down, I asked my dad what was in the pan. He explained what paella was and asked me to try it. It had some of the best flavors I had ever tasted—a mix of spicy and sweet. Here is a recipe for a simple paella that you can cook at home—just don’t put it under monkey bars! - Verveine Oringer
Check out WTFCF Cookbook Review: Cooking with My Dad, the Chef.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine World Cuisine
Servings 6

Equipment

  • 14-inch paella pan or 12-inch nonstick skillet
  • Wooden spoon

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 8 ounces Spanish chorizo, sliced ¼ inch thick
  • 1 cup bomba rice, Note: May substitute arroz de Calasparra rice.
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • pinch saffron, optional
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
  • 4 scallions, root ends trimmed and scallions chopped

Instructions
 

  • In 14-inch paella pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes. Note: Oil should be hot but not smoking. Add chicken and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until chicken is just starting to turn white, about 2 minutes.
  • Add sliced chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally with wooden spoon, for 1 minute. Stir in 1 cup rice and cook for 1 minute. Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 teaspoon paprika, and pinch of saffron (if using) and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Add 3 cups chicken broth. Increase heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes - DO NOT STIR!
  • Reduce heat to low and simmer. Note: Small bubbles should break often across surface of until rice absorbs all liquid, about 12 minutes - AGAIN, DO NOT STIR!
  • Turn heat up to high, and cook until crust forms (see “Socarrat = Crispy Rice!,”below), 2 to 4 minutes - STILL, DO NOT STIR! Turn off heat and slide pan to cool burner.
  • Sprinkle ½ cup peas and scallions over top. Season with salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with extra oil. Serve with clean wooden spoon, making sure to scrape bottom of pan to get the socarrat.

Enjoy!

    From Chef Ken: Socarrat = Crispy Rice!

    • Socarrat is the name for the crispy, browned layer of rice that forms on the bottom of the pan as the paella cooks—it’s the most prized part of the dish! To help the soccarat form, it’s really important NOT to stir the rice once it starts cooking. This gives the bottom layer of rice lots of contact time with the hot surface of the paella pan, letting it get perfectly brown and crisp.

    About the Author

    One of Boston’s most notable chefs and restaurateurs, Ken Oringer has over 30 years of experience in the restaurant industry. In 1997, after working renowned restaurants, from New York City to San Francisco, Ken opened his first restaurant, Clio, in Boston. In its first year, Clio was named “Best Newcomer of the Year” by Gourmet magazine, one of “America’s Best New Restaurants” by Esquire, and also earned Ken a James Beard Award nomination. Since then, he has gone on to open various restaurants in Boston, as well as abroad, to much critical acclaim. Ken’s inspiration for his concepts comes from his extensive travels throughout Asia, Europe, and beyond.