Chicken Paella with Saffron and Green Beans

Ingredients and substitutions

Choosing your ingredients

Bomba is a short-grain rice grown mainly in eastern Spain and commonly used for paella. Wikipedia notes that its amylopectin content is relatively low, so it does not turn sticky or thicken the cooking liquid the way Arborio does. Calasparra, another Spanish short-grain rice, is also a common choice. Arborio works, but it releases more starch, so the result is creamier. Do not rinse the rice.

Use bone-in, skin-on thighs. The bones and skin flavor the stock, and thighs stay juicy through a long cook, while breast meat dries out. The chicken must reach at least 165°F (74°C) at its thickest part, measured without touching the bone.

Saffron gives the rice its color and a floral scent. The smoked paprika is a small home-cook addition and is not part of the Valencian recipe, so keep it at half a teaspoon.

Choose a wide, shallow skillet of 12 to 13 inches (30 to 33 cm) in stainless steel, carbon steel or cast iron. The rice must sit in a thin layer to cook evenly and toast at the bottom. If the pan is wider than your burner, turn it a quarter turn every few minutes.

Possible substitutions

• Bomba rice: Arborio or Calrose. For Arborio, start with about half a cup (120 ml) less stock and expect a softer, creamier result. Avoid long-grain rice such as basmati.
• Saffron threads: A quarter teaspoon of ground turmeric colors the rice, but the flavor will be different.
• Chicken stock: Water, which the Valencian recipe uses. Add a little more salt.
• Ripe tomatoes: 1 cup (240 g) canned crushed tomatoes. Cook the sofrito a couple of minutes longer.
• Lima beans: Drained canned butter beans or cannellini beans, or leave them out.
• Green beans: Flat Romano beans, or thawed frozen cut green beans added in the last 10 minutes.

Step-by-step method

1. Steep the saffron in hot stock. Heat the stock in a saucepan until steaming but not boiling. Crush the saffron between your fingers into the stock and add half of the salt. Keep it on the lowest heat for at least 10 minutes. The liquid should turn deep orange. Hot stock keeps the rice cooking steadily later.
2. Brown the chicken. Heat the oil in a 12 to 13-inch (30 to 33 cm) skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with the rest of the salt and lay it skin side down in one layer. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once, until the skin is deep golden. Move it to a plate and leave the oil in the pan.
3. Cook the beans and pepper. Lower the heat to medium. Add the green beans and bell pepper to the oil and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often. The beans should turn bright green and the pepper should soften. Push them to the sides of the pan.
4. Build the sofrito. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the grated tomato and both paprikas, then cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often. It is ready when it has thickened to a jam, darkened to brick red, and oil shines at the edges.
5. Add the stock and chicken. Pour in the saffron stock and bring it to a boil. Return the chicken and vegetables to the pan, add the rosemary and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Taste the liquid. It should taste a little too salty, because the rice absorbs much of it. Adjust now, since you cannot season once the rice is in.
6. Add the rice and leave it alone. Sprinkle the rice evenly in a thin layer, scatter on the lima beans and give the pan one gentle shake. Boil briskly for 8 minutes, turning the pan to even out the heat. Lower to medium-low and cook 10 to 12 minutes more, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is just tender. Do not stir. If the rice is still firm and the pan is dry, add a little hot water and cook 2 to 3 minutes more.
7. Toast the bottom. Raise the heat to medium-high for 60 to 90 seconds. Listen for a light crackle and smell for a toasty scent. Peek along the edge with a spoon: you want a golden-brown crust, not black. Pull the pan off the heat at the first burnt smell. Check that the thickest chicken piece has reached 165°F (74°C).
8. Rest and serve. Take the pan off the heat and cover it loosely with a clean kitchen towel or foil. Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes while the rice finishes absorbing the last of the liquid. Remove the rosemary, bring the pan to the table with the lemon wedges, and scrape up some of the toasted bottom for each plate.

Storage and reheating

Do not leave paella out for more than 2 hours. Cooked rice left at room temperature is a known cause of food poisoning, so cool leftovers quickly by spreading them in shallow containers and refrigerating them. Keep them for 3 to 4 days.

To reheat, put the paella in a skillet with a splash of water, cover and warm over medium heat until it is steaming hot all the way through, at 165°F (74°C). The toasted bottom will soften, which is normal. Reheat only what you plan to eat.

Common mistakes

• Stirring the rice. Stirring pulls starch out of the grains and turns the dish sticky and creamy, closer to risotto. After the rice is in, only shake or rotate the pan.
• Using a pan that is too small. Rice piled deep cooks unevenly: the top stays hard while the bottom burns. Use a 12 to 13-inch (30 to 33 cm) skillet, or halve the recipe for a smaller pan.
• Rushing the sofrito. A quick, wet tomato base dilutes the stock. Cook it until thick, dark and jammy.
• Burning the toasted layer. The crust, called socarrat, is considered good only as long as it is not burnt. Use a short burst of high heat and trust your ears and nose, not the clock.
• Skipping the rest. Straight from the heat, the center is wet and the grains are still settling. Five to ten minutes under a towel fixes both.