Valencian Paella
Browned chicken thighs, green beans, and lima beans simmered with paella rice in a rich Valencian broth, topped with artichokes and piquillo peppers, and finished with a crisp golden socarrat.
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 boneless chicken thighs
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 ounces fresh uncooked green beans, washed and ends trimmed
- ¾ cup frozen lima beans
- 1½ cups paella rice (such as Bomba or Calasparra)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (34-ounce) carton Valencian-style paella stock or broth
- 1 (7-ounce) can plain artichoke hearts, drained
- About 2 ounces piquillo peppers, cut into strips
- A few small rosemary sprigs
- Smoked paprika, for sprinkling
- Lemon wedges, for serving
- Heat the olive oil in a paella pan over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs and brown them on both sides, then transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside — browning the chicken first builds a layer of flavor in the pan that the rest of the dish will cook on top of.
- Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the same pan and cook until soft and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the green beans and lima beans and cook for a couple of minutes more, then add the paella rice, stirring to coat the grains in the oil and pan flavors, and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, adding a touch more oil if the pan looks dry. Season with the salt and pepper.
- Arrange the green beans the way you'd like them to look in the finished dish, since this is your last chance to position them before the broth goes in. Pour the paella stock into the pan and remember the cardinal rule of paella: do not stir from this point forward. Once the liquid begins to bubble, nestle the browned chicken pieces back into the pan, followed by the artichoke hearts and piquillo peppers on top, and scatter the rosemary sprigs over everything.
- Simmer the paella uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender, rotating the pan occasionally so the rice nearer the rim cooks as evenly as the rice in the center. In the final few minutes, you can raise the heat briefly to further caramelize the socarrat — the prized crispy, golden-browned layer of rice that forms on the bottom of the pan.
- Sprinkle the finished paella with smoked paprika and serve directly from the pan with lemon wedges alongside for squeezing over each portion.
Chef's Note: The single rule that matters most in paella is the one this recipe insists on: once the broth goes into the pan, stop stirring. Constant stirring is exactly what you'd do for risotto, but it's the opposite of what paella wants — leaving the rice undisturbed is what allows that coveted socarrat to form on the bottom, the crisp, slightly caramelized layer that many consider the best part of the dish.
A wide, shallow paella pan genuinely makes a difference here, since it lets the rice cook in a thin, even layer rather than steaming in a deep pile the way it would in a regular pot. If you don't have one, the widest, shallowest skillet you own is the next best option. Listen for the broth as the rice nears doneness — a faint crackling sound from the bottom of the pan toward the end of cooking is a good sign the socarrat is forming.
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