Paella Valenciana
Ingredients
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- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken – bone-in pieces, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 pounds rabbit – bone-in pieces, cut into 2-inch pieces (~0.5 medium rabbits)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 8 ounces flat green beans – trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 cup large lima beans – cooked and drained
- 1 cup tomato – grated
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 6 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoons saffron threads – crumbled
- 1 sprig rosemary – whole
- 2 cups bomba rice
- lemon wedges – for serving
Instructions
1. Heat the olive oil in a 15-inch paella pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sprinkle the chicken and rabbit evenly with the kosher salt, then add to the pan and sear, turning occasionally, until deeply browned on most sides, 15–20 minutes. Push the meat to the outer edge of the pan.
2. Add the flat green beans to the center of the pan and sauté in the rendered fat, stirring, until lightly blistered and bright green, 3–4 minutes.
3. Stir in the large lima beans and cook 1 minute to coat in the oil and pan juices.
4. Add the grated tomato to the center; cook, stirring, until thickened and reduced, 3–4 minutes. Sprinkle in the sweet paprika and stir for 30 seconds to bloom.
5. Pour in the water, stirring to dissolve the browned bits. Distribute the meats and vegetables evenly. Bring to a boil, then adjust to a lively simmer and cook until flavors meld and the liquid reduces by about one-third, 20–25 minutes.
6. Sprinkle in the crumbled saffron and lay the rosemary sprig on top. The broth should taste robust and well-seasoned at this point.
7. Sprinkle the bomba rice evenly across the pan in a thin, uniform layer; do not stir after this point. Increase heat to medium-high and cook at a brisk bubble, rotating the pan as needed for even cooking, until the rice floats to the surface and most liquid is absorbed, 8–10 minutes.
8. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking until the rice is just tender and the liquid is absorbed with small bubbling around the grains, 8–10 minutes. Remove and discard the rosemary sprig. For socarrat, increase heat to high for 1–2 minutes until you hear a faint crackling and smell a toasty aroma; stop before it smells burnt.
9. Remove from heat, cover the pan loosely with foil or a clean towel, and rest 5–10 minutes. Serve straight from the pan with lemon wedges.
Paella is a communal rice dish celebrated for its saffron-perfumed aroma, distinct individual grains, and the prized socarrat—an audible, caramelized crust that forms on the bottom of the pan. The Valencian version balances deeply browned chicken and rabbit with tender flat green beans and creamy large lima beans, all cooked in a wide, shallow pan that maximizes evaporation and flavor. The seasoning is clean and elemental—olive oil, sweet paprika, saffron, rosemary, and salt—allowing the rice to absorb and express the essence of the pan.
Originating around the Albufera wetlands near Valencia, paella began as a countryside meal cooked over wood fires by farm workers in the 18th and 19th centuries. Its base of local rice and seasonal ingredients—often rabbit, chicken, garrofó (large lima-type beans), and ferradura (flat green beans)—became the template for what is now recognized as Paella Valenciana. As the dish spread, coastal regions developed seafood versions and global cooks created mixed variations, but the Valencian formula remains the historical cornerstone and a benchmark of technique.