Paella Valenciana with Chicken and Green Beans

Name: Paella Valenciana with Chicken and Green Beans
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 1/4 cup olive oil; 2 1/2 lb bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, cut into smaller pieces (or chicken and rabbit); 2 tsp salt, divided; 8 oz flat green beans (romano), trimmed and cut in 2-inch pieces; 1 cup cooked large white beans (garrofó or butter beans); 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 ripe tomato, grated (skin discarded); 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika; 1/2 tsp saffron threads, crumbled into 2 tbsp warm water; 6 cups hot chicken broth or water; 2 sprigs rosemary; 2 cups Bomba or other short-grain Spanish rice; lemon wedges, to serve

The original Valencian paella: saffron rice cooked in one wide pan with browned chicken, flat green beans, white beans, tomato and rosemary until a crisp, toasty crust (socarrat) forms on the bottom.

Prep20 min

Cook45 min

Total1 hr 5 min

Serves6

What you'll need

12-inch cast-iron skilletFor searing and oven finishes

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8-inch chef's knifeFor all the chopping

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Instant-read thermometerFor knowing when meat is done

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Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil

2 1/2 lb bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, cut into smaller pieces (or chicken and rabbit)

2 tsp salt, divided

8 oz flat green beans (romano), trimmed and cut in 2-inch pieces

1 cup cooked large white beans (garrofó or butter beans)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 ripe tomato, grated (skin discarded)

1 tsp sweet smoked paprika

1/2 tsp saffron threads, crumbled into 2 tbsp warm water

6 cups hot chicken broth or water

2 sprigs rosemary

2 cups Bomba or other short-grain Spanish rice

lemon wedges, to serve

Steps

Heat the oil in a 15- to 17-inch paella pan or your widest skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with 1 tsp salt and brown it slowly on all sides, 15 minutes, pushing it to the edges as it's done.

Add the green beans to the center and cook 3 minutes, then the garlic for 30 seconds, the grated tomato and paprika, and cook until the tomato thickens, 3 minutes.

Pour in the hot broth, the saffron and remaining salt, add the white beans and rosemary and bring to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes and taste: the broth should be quite salty.

Scatter the rice evenly across the pan and give it one gentle stir to spread it out. From now on, don't stir.

Cook over medium-high heat 10 minutes, then lower to medium-low and cook 8 to 10 minutes more, until the rice is tender and the liquid absorbed. For the socarrat, raise the heat for the last 1 to 2 minutes until you hear crackling and smell toasting.

Remove the rosemary, cover with a clean towel and rest 5 minutes. Serve from the pan with lemon wedges.

TipResist stirring once the rice is in; stirring releases starch, making it creamy like risotto and preventing the prized crust on the bottom.