Saffron-infused Chicken and Seafood Paella
A vibrant Spanish rice dish featuring chicken, shrimp, and saffron in a rich tomato-infused broth. This Spanish recipe, ready in about 50 minutes, pairs chicken thighs, shrimp, and saffron threads for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 520 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Build a week of meals around this recipe" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 12 oz chicken thighs, bone-in skin-on
- 8 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/4 tsp saffron threads, crushed
- 1 tsp paprika
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 14 oz can diced tomatoes
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1.5 cups short-grain rice
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup pimento-stuffed green olives
- 2 lemon wedges, for serving
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Equipment for this recipe
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Instructions
- Step 1: Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels, season with 1/2 tsp paprika and 1/4 tsp salt. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear chicken skin-side down for 5 minutes until golden, then flip and cook 3 minutes more. Remove and set aside.
- Step 2: Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet. Sauté garlic and 1/2 tsp paprika for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned. Stir in diced tomatoes and saffron, cooking 2 minutes until tomatoes soften.
- Step 3: Add rice, chicken broth, and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Arrange seared chicken and shrimp on top of rice, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook 18 minutes without stirring.
- Step 4: Remove lid, scatter olives over the top, and cook uncovered for 3 minutes to crisp shrimp edges. Rest 5 minutes before serving with lemon wedges.
