Description
Alton Brown’s authentic paella celebrates Spanish culinary tradition with saffron-infused rice, succulent seafood, and aromatic spices. Carefully layered ingredients create a harmonious dish you’ll savor with Mediterranean passion.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs (1.36 kg) chicken thighs and legs, bone-in, skin-on
- 9 cups (2.1 L) low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups (675 g) short- or medium-grain rice
- 1 lb (454 g) tomatoes
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) olive oil
- 8 oz (227 g) fresh green beans, trimmed and halved
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- ½ cup chopped green bell pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 sprigs rosemary, leaves stripped from sprigs
- 20 threads saffron
- 3 tsps kosher salt, divided
- 1 tsp smoked sweet paprika
Instructions
- Charcoal Preparation: Ignite newspaper-lined chimney starter with vegetable oil, filling halfway with charcoal. Transfer partially ash-covered coals to kettle grill’s bottom grate, spreading evenly and adding unlit charcoal on top for consistent heat distribution.
- Tomato Preparation: Halve tomatoes, extract seeds through fine-mesh strainer, and grate flesh using box grater. Discard skins while reserving grated tomato and collected juice.
- Stock Heating: Warm chicken stock to 200°F, stirring frequently, then remove from heat and cover to maintain temperature.
- Seasoning Blend: Whisk rice with paprika, saffron, rosemary, and salt in a mixing bowl to create flavor foundation.
- Protein Searing: Position paella pan on grill, heat olive oil, and sear chicken pieces until golden brown. Relocate to pan edges for subsequent cooking stages.
- Vegetable Integration: Sauté garlic, green and red bell peppers, and green beans in pan’s center for 2-3 minutes until softened and color intensifies.
- Tomato Reduction: Incorporate prepared tomatoes and juice, simmering 4-5 minutes until liquid reduces and tomatoes thicken.
- Rice Cooking: Mix seasoned rice into pan’s center, then combine with chicken pieces. Pour hot chicken broth to completely cover rice, minimizing stirring to preserve rice structure.
- Liquid Absorption: After initial 8-9 minutes, add additional broth. Continue cooking without stirring until rice develops slightly chewy texture with small white center.
- Final Stages: Add remaining stock, carefully adjusting heat distribution to ensure uniform cooking. Remove from heat, cover with tea towel, and rest 15 minutes to enhance flavor and texture before serving.
Notes
- Manage Charcoal Carefully: Ensure even heat distribution by spreading lit and unlit charcoal strategically for consistent cooking temperature.
- Tomato Preparation Technique: Grate tomatoes using box grater’s large holes to extract maximum flavor and juice without tough skins.
- Prevent Rice Disruption: Minimize stirring during cooking to maintain rice structure and develop traditional paella’s signature crispy bottom layer (socarrat).
- Resting is Crucial: Let paella rest covered for 15 minutes after cooking to allow flavors to meld and rice to absorb remaining moisture, creating a more harmonious dish.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 120mg