Paella, one of Spain’s rice dishes known around the world, is cooked in a thin layer in a wide pan. This recipe is a home-style chicken adaptation made with ingredients that are easy to find in Turkey; it does not claim to be an exact replica of traditional Valencian paella. More readily available smoked beef sausage is used instead of Spanish chorizo. If you do not want sausage, you can omit it and increase the olive oil by 15 ml.
**Servings and timing**
- Servings: 4
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 38 minutes
- Resting time: 7 minutes
- Total time: 65 minutes
**Ingredients**
- 600 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3 cm cubes
- 120 g smoked beef sausage, sliced 5 mm thick
- 300 g Baldo rice
- 750 ml reduced-sodium chicken stock
- 30 ml olive oil
- 150 g onion, cut into 5 mm dice
- 150 g red pointed pepper, cut into 1 cm dice
- 200 g grated tomatoes
- 10 g garlic, finely chopped
- 100 g frozen peas
- 1 g saffron threads
- 5 g sweet paprika
- 2 g smoked paprika
- 4 g fine salt
- 1 g freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lemon, cut into four wedges
- 15 g parsley, finely chopped
Note: Baldo rice is not an exact substitute for paella rice, but it is an accessible short- to medium-grain option in Turkey. Do not rinse the rice, as this helps prevent it from releasing too much starch. If your chicken stock is salty, reduce the added salt to 2 g.
**Equipment needed**
- Wide, heavy-bottomed 30–32 cm pan
- Small saucepan
- Cutting board and knife
- Measuring cup and kitchen scale
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Tongs
- Instant-read kitchen thermometer
- Aluminum foil or a large lid that covers the pan
**Step-by-step method**
- Heat the chicken stock in the small saucepan to 80–90°C; do not let it boil. Add the saffron to the hot stock and let it steep for at least 10 minutes. Using cold liquid interrupts the simmer in the pan, making it harder for the rice to cook evenly.
- Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Season them all over with 2 g of the salt and the black pepper. Heat the wide pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, then add the olive oil. Arrange the chicken in a single layer and brown it for 3 minutes on the first side without moving it, then for 2 minutes on the other side. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked through at this stage. Transfer it to a clean plate.
- Cook the sausage slices in the same pan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Once the edges are lightly browned and the fat has rendered, transfer them to the plate. If more than 30 ml of fat has accumulated in the pan, spoon out the excess.
- Add the onion and red pointed pepper to the pan. Cook over medium heat for 6–7 minutes, until the onion is translucent and the pepper has softened. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the sweet and smoked paprika and stir for only 15 seconds; allowing the spices to burn will make the dish bitter.
- Add the grated tomatoes and the remaining 2 g of salt. Cook over medium heat for 6–8 minutes. At the correct consistency, the mixture should resemble a thick sauce rather than being watery; a trail drawn through it with the spatula should remain open for about 2 seconds.
- Sprinkle the rice evenly into the pan and stir it into the sauce for 60 seconds. Pour in the hot saffron-infused chicken stock. Arrange the chicken and sausage at even intervals around the pan. Once the liquid begins to boil, level the rice one last time; do not stir it after this point. Stirring releases starch and creates a sticky, risotto-like texture.
- Keep the pan uncovered over medium-high heat for 8 minutes at a lively but controlled simmer. Then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for another 10 minutes. If some areas of the pan are drying out quickly, rotate the pan a quarter turn on the burner; do not stir with a spoon.
- Scatter the peas over the surface and cook for another 4–6 minutes. The total cooking time for the rice is about 22–24 minutes. Measure the thickest center of the chicken pieces with a thermometer: the safe internal temperature must be at least 74°C. The rice should be tender on the outside with only very slight resistance at the center, and no loose liquid should remain in the pan. If the liquid runs out while the rice is still firm, pour 60 ml of hot water around the edges and cook for 3 minutes.
- For the socarrat, meaning the toasted bottom layer, increase the heat to medium-high after the rice has cooked and watch the pan for 45–75 seconds. Listen for a gentle crackle and look for the aroma of toasted rice; if you smell anything sharply burnt, remove the pan from the heat immediately. The bottom should be golden brown, not black.
- Remove the pan from the heat, cover it loosely with foil, and let it rest for 7 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve directly from the pan with the lemon wedges.
**Checking texture and doneness**
In a successful paella, the grains carry the flavor of the sauce but do not stick together in a mushy mass. Water should not pool at the bottom of the pan, while the surface should not look completely dried out. Rather than relying on the color of the chicken, measure the center of a thick piece; FoodSafety.gov states that 74°C is the safe minimum internal temperature for all poultry.
**Key tips**
- Use a wide pan; rice forms a thick layer in a narrow pot and will not cook evenly.
- Add hot chicken stock and do not stir the rice once the liquid has been added.
- Reduce the tomato base sufficiently; leaving it watery dilutes the flavor.
- If your burner is small, rotate the pan regularly to balance the heat distribution.
- Steeping the saffron in hot stock beforehand helps distribute its color and aroma more evenly.
**Common mistakes**
The most common mistakes are stirring the rice constantly and adding unmeasured amounts of liquid. Covering the pan during cooking can trap steam and make the grains too soft. Leaving the bottom over high heat for several minutes in pursuit of socarrat produces a burnt layer rather than a toasted one. Do not reuse a plate or tongs that have touched raw chicken for cooked ingredients without washing them first.
**Storage and reheating**
Do not leave leftovers at room temperature for more than 2 hours. To cool the paella quickly, divide it among shallow containers so that it is no more than 5 cm deep, then refrigerate it. Store it for up to 4 days in a refrigerator at 4°C or below. It can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months; the peas will soften slightly after thawing.
When reheating, add 15 ml of water per serving. Heat it in a covered pan over medium-low heat for 6–8 minutes, or loosely covered in the microwave, stirring at intervals. The temperature at the center must reach 74°C. Reheat only the amount you plan to eat to avoid unnecessary loss of quality and repeated temperature changes.
**Serving suggestion**
Serve the paella with lemon and parsley after its 7-minute rest. You can accompany it with a simple salad made from 240 g of arugula, cucumber, and tomato, dressed with 15 ml of olive oil and 10 ml of lemon juice. This provides a fresh, acidic counterpoint to the rich, smoky rice.
