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Paella with Chicken, Chorizo, and Olives for Two

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 18, 2020

Time

50 minutes

Yield

Serves 2

Paella with Chicken, Chorizo, and Olives for Two

Ingredients

1½ cups water ½ cup Valencia or Arborio rice Salt and pepper 1 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick4 teaspoons vegetable oil 4 ounces Spanish-style chorizo sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick1 small onion, chopped fine¾ cup canned diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved2 garlic cloves, minced⅛ teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled¼ cup pitted large green olives, quartered¼ cup frozen peas

Before You Begin

We like to use short-grain Valencia rice for this dish, but you can substitute Arborio rice if you cannot find Valencia. Do not substitute long-grain rice. Look for large, pitted green olives at the olive bar in the supermarket. Pimento-stuffed olives can be substituted for the large green olives in a pinch. To make the chicken easier to slice, freeze it for 15 minutes.

Instructions

  1.  Combine 1 cup water, rice, and ⅛ teaspoon salt in bowl. Cover and microwave until rice is softened and most of liquid is absorbed, 6 to 8 minutes.
  2.  Meanwhile, pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chorizo and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer chorizo to plate. Add chicken to fat left in skillet, breaking up any clumps, and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 4 minutes; transfer to plate with chorizo.
  3.  Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and cook until beginning to soften and darken, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and saffron and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in remaining ½ cup water and reserved tomato juice, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in parcooked rice, breaking up any large clumps, and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, 8 to 12 minutes.
  4.  Stir in browned chorizo and chicken and any accumulated juices, olives, and peas and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, uncovered, until bottom layer of rice is golden and crisp, about 5 minutes, rotating skillet halfway through cooking to ensure even browning. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
Paella with Chicken, Chorizo, and Olives for Two
Photography by Daniel J. van Ackere. Styling by Catrine Kelty.

Paella with Chicken, Chorizo, and Olives for Two

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

50 minutes

Yield

Serves 2

Ingredients

1½ cups water
½ cup Valencia or Arborio rice
Salt and pepper
1 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 ounces Spanish-style chorizo sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 small onion, chopped fine
¾ cup canned diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅛ teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
¼ cup pitted large green olives, quartered
¼ cup frozen peas

Ingredients

1½ cups water
½ cup Valencia or Arborio rice
Salt and pepper
1 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 ounces Spanish-style chorizo sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 small onion, chopped fine
¾ cup canned diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅛ teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
¼ cup pitted large green olives, quartered
¼ cup frozen peas

Ingredients

1½ cups water
½ cup Valencia or Arborio rice
Salt and pepper
1 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 ounces Spanish-style chorizo sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 small onion, chopped fine
¾ cup canned diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅛ teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
¼ cup pitted large green olives, quartered
¼ cup frozen peas

Why This Recipe Works

We wanted to translate this classic into a streamlined weeknight version, perfectly tailored for two people, with all the flavor of the original. A combination of chorizo sausage and chicken was hearty enough that we decided we could forgo the seafood altogether. A rich sofrito of onion, garlic, and tomato gave our dish a deep flavor base, and bright peas and briny olives added color and dimension. Just a pinch of saffron was enough to give our paella authentic Spanish flavor.

Before You Begin

We like to use short-grain Valencia rice for this dish, but you can substitute Arborio rice if you cannot find Valencia. Do not substitute long-grain rice. Look for large, pitted green olives at the olive bar in the supermarket. Pimento-stuffed olives can be substituted for the large green olives in a pinch. To make the chicken easier to slice, freeze it for 15 minutes.

Instructions

  1.  Combine 1 cup water, rice, and ⅛ teaspoon salt in bowl. Cover and microwave until rice is softened and most of liquid is absorbed, 6 to 8 minutes.
  2.  Meanwhile, pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chorizo and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer chorizo to plate. Add chicken to fat left in skillet, breaking up any clumps, and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 4 minutes; transfer to plate with chorizo.
  3.  Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and cook until beginning to soften and darken, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and saffron and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in remaining ½ cup water and reserved tomato juice, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in parcooked rice, breaking up any large clumps, and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, 8 to 12 minutes.
  4.  Stir in browned chorizo and chicken and any accumulated juices, olives, and peas and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, uncovered, until bottom layer of rice is golden and crisp, about 5 minutes, rotating skillet halfway through cooking to ensure even browning. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

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