Saffron-Infused Spanish Chicken and Rice Paella

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-13 · Updated 2026-06-13

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.

Fragrant paella featuring tender chicken, saffron, and a medley of colorful vegetables cooked together to create a rich, comforting Spanish classic. This Spanish-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 55 minutes, pairs bone-in chicken thighs, olive oil, short-grain rice for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 calories and feeds 6, 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: 35 min Serves 6 Spanish cuisine 480 cal/serving

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Ingredients

6 pieces bone-in chicken thighs
4 tbsp olive oil
2 cups short-grain rice
4 cups, warmed chicken broth
1/2 tsp saffron threads
1 tsp smoked paprika
3, minced garlic cloves
1 large, diced red bell pepper
1 cup green peas
2 tbsp, chopped fresh parsley
to taste salt
to taste black pepper
for serving lemon wedges

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Instructions

Step 1: In a large paella pan or wide skillet, heat 4 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Season 6 bone-in chicken thighs with salt, black pepper, and 1 tsp smoked paprika, then brown them skin-side down for 6 minutes until golden, flip and cook another 4 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Step 2: Add 3 minced garlic cloves and 1 large diced red bell pepper to the pan, sauté for 3 minutes until fragrant and softened. Stir in 2 cups short-grain rice and toast for 2 minutes.
Step 3: Pour in 4 cups warmed chicken broth infused with 1/2 tsp saffron threads. Nestle chicken thighs back into the rice, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes without stirring.
Step 4: Scatter 1 cup green peas over the top in the last 5 minutes of cooking. When liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.