Saffron-Infused Chicken Paella with Bomba Rice

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A genuinely Spanish paella made with short-grain Bomba rice and saffron from La Mancha, cooked in a traditional paellera for perfect crust formation. This Mediterranean recipe, ready in about 50 minutes, pairs chicken thighs, saffron threads, bomba rice for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 580 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 "Plan a meal with the AI" 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.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 30 min Serves 4 Spanish cuisine 580 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Pat 1 lb chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large 12-inch paellera or skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken skin-side down and cook for 8 minutes until golden brown and crisp, then flip and cook 4 more minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
  2. Step 2: In the same pan, add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in 1/4 tsp saffron threads and cook for 1 minute, then add 1.5 cups bomba rice, stirring constantly for 1 minute to toast the rice.
  3. Step 3: Pour in 3 cups chicken broth and 1 tsp paprika, stirring to combine. Arrange cooked chicken, 1 cup diced pimento peppers, and 1/2 cup green beans evenly over rice. Add 6 oz shrimp on top. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook for 18 minutes without stirring until rice is tender and crust forms at the bottom.
  4. Step 4: Remove lid, let rest for 5 minutes, then garnish with lemon wedges and serve directly from the pan.

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