Paella Valenciana is my take on a traditional Spanish recipe made with chicken, rabbit, green beans, artichokes, broad beans and no seafood.
Using bone-in cuts of meat helps to keep it moist and succulent and it still cooks in under an hour, including preparation!
Traditional Spanish Paella with Rabbit
Paella is another of the world’s great rice dishes, like Biriyani from India and Persia chicken and chorizo jambalaya form the US or Risotto from Italy.
But there are so many more, Jollof from West Africa, Jambalaya from the US or Nasi Goreng from Indonesia, to name but a few!
Paella recipes have a long-standing association with seafood and I love seafood, but the oldest recipe contains no seafood.
Like all of my recipes, I have taken some liberties. But in the main this remains a pretty traditional retelling of a classic paella Valenciana.
Although I did choose to omit the obligatory snails, primarily because they are very difficult to find!
I do add the outrageously expensive saffron, just as I do in my prawn and chorizo paella and vegetarian paella.
But please do not think that you must have this to make the recipe, yes, it makes a difference, but it is still glorious without it.
There is a beautiful simplicity about a well-cooked paella. They are not strikingly beautiful and you should never trust a paella that is!
Frequently Asked Questions
What sort of rice should I use to make paella?
Paella rice is always short grain rice, I personally use a variety called Bomba. Other varieties like senia and bahfa are also available.
You can, at a push, use risotto rice, it will not be perfect and the food police will be shocked at the suggestion. But it will work and be a half-decent approximation.
Should I wash or rinse the rice?
No, it is important not to rinse, soak or wash the rice!
It is also vital that you do not stir your rice. When you make a risotto the stirring releases the starches which gives it the classic creamy texture.
That is the very last thing you want when cooking paella. You want to treat your rice with kid gloves, pour it gently and don’t mess around with it beyond flattening it out.
Can I use a regular frying pan?
At a push yes, but paella pans generally return better results because they promote the best part of the paella, the socarrat. The “crispy” caramelised rice crust that forms at the edges of the dish.
Can I cook paella on a BBQ?
Yes, definitely, it is my favourite surprising BBQ dish!
This recipe is written with a stovetop in mind. But there really are no real changes needed to cook this on a BBQ.
The key is setting up the BBQ coals, you need high heat, medium heat and “no” heat. So work from left to right and work from a thick layer of coals to no coals.
Work over the thick layer of coals for the first cooking phase, then move to the medium-thick layer until the rice is almost cooked. Then cover it with foil and put it to the side with no coals… Simple hey?
Serving Suggestions
This classic paella Valenciana is a one-bowl dish as far as I am concerned and it really does not need a side dish.
However, a nice glass of wine, some crusty bread and a side salad always go down well.
This peppery rocket salad would work a treat as would a simply dressed green salad.
When it comes to bread I am most likely to grab a crusty French stick, because it is available and easy.
If you are a bread maker then this pan rustico recipe would work a treat too!
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Stovetop.
- Paella pan, I use a 28cm or 11″ pan designed to be used on an induction hob made by Vaello.
- Chopping board.
- Grater.
- Kitchen knife.
- Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
- Kettle and jug for the stock.
- Kitchen tongs.
- Kitchen foil.
- Stirring spoons.
Traditional Paella Valenciana Recipe
This traditional paella recipe is based on what is thought to be one of the earliest versions, Valenciana paella containing made with rabbit, chicken, beans and artichokes.
Ingredients
- 150g (¾ Cup) Bomba Paella Rice
- 2 (275-300g Total) Small Chicken Thighs
- 2 (350-400g) Small Rabbit Legs
- 100g (¾-1 Cup) Green Beans
- 75g (½ Cup) Broad Beans
- 100g (¾ Cup) Artichoke Hearts in Oil
- 1 (100g) Medium Tomato
- 3 Cloves Garlic
- 650ml (2¾ Cups) Chicken Stock
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Sprig Rosemary
- 1½ Tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 Pinch Saffron
- ½ Tsp Salt
- Lemon Juice to Taste
- Fresh Parsley
Instructions
- Peel and finely slice the garlic cloves.
- Grate the tomato.
- Top and tail the green beans.
- Cut the artichoke hearts into quarters.
- Place your paella pan on a high heat and when hot add the oil.
- Season the chicken and rabbit and then brown them in the oil until nicely coloured on all sides, then remove the meat leaving the pan on the stove. It is best to add the rabbit legs a couple of minutes before you add the chicken because it takes longer to colour up.
- Add the green beans, artichokes and broad beans and cook for a minute or two.
- Add the garlic and grated tomato, stir and cook for two more minutes.
- Pour in the rice and then sprinkle over the smoked paprika.
- Pour over the hot stock, sprinkle over the saffron and tuck in the rosemary.
- It is vital that you do not stir your paella, so just flatten out the rice and arrange everything in the pan so that it all has some space.
- Return the meat to the pan, then cook over a medium-high heat for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for another 12-15 minutes. Then test the rice it should be just cooked with a little bite!
- Cover with foil and allow to sit over a very low heat for a further 5-10 minutes. Make sure that the chicken and the rabbit have reached at least 73°C or 165°F before serving.
- Serve sprinkled with lots of fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1220Total Fat: 60gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 40gCholesterol: 363mgSodium: 2399mgCarbohydrates: 65gFiber: 6gSugar: 11gProtein: 104g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.
Johnz
Sunday 8th of July 2018
Looks great, but what would you recommend as a replacement for rabbit?
Brian Jones
Monday 9th of July 2018
I'd not try and replace the rabbit, just omit and double up on the chicken thighs.
Jacqueline Debono
Monday 2nd of July 2018
This paella looks and sounds so good! It's one of those dishes I love but have never cooked! I want to try it but also without snails, even though my garden is full of them!!!
Brian Jones
Tuesday 3rd of July 2018
lol, I have to confess that whilst I am not abhorred by the idea of eating snails they are certainly not my first choice as an ingredient ;)
Shashi at SavorySpin
Monday 2nd of July 2018
While I've made biryani many times, I've never made paella before so seeing how you made this delicious concoction on the bbq is blowing my mind! fantastic! delicious! And so gorgeous too! BTW - thanks for the suggestion as to which type of rice to use for this.
Brian Jones
Tuesday 3rd of July 2018
You are welcome... I'm much more familiar with Biriyani too but have been playing around with Paella for about 12 months and love it... The way the rice cooks slightly differently is key, the crispy bits, the soft bits are all part of the canvas of paella.
Sandhya Hariharan
Monday 2nd of July 2018
Paella looks wonderful.... Pictures are inviting as always!
Brian Jones
Tuesday 3rd of July 2018
Thanks Sandyha
Chris Collins
Monday 2nd of July 2018
Cooking paella on the BBQ, what an awesome idea! This looks incredibly delicious!!
Brian Jones
Tuesday 3rd of July 2018
It works so very well!