Easy Seafood Paella Recipe with Saffron Aioli

This Seafood Paella recipe is served with a quick & easy saffron aioli and brimming with shrimp, clams, chicken & chorizo. It’s an impressive yet low-key Spanish dish that’s perfect for parties!

In Barcelona, we ate ourselves silly on paella. My mission while in Spain was to try as many versions as I could. That, and drink lots of Rioja, Cava, and Rosé.

Since that life-changing trip, I’ve recreated 4 of my favorite Spanish dishes: 

  1. Pan Con Tomate (Spanish Bruschetta)
  2. Fideuà (Pasta Paella)
  3. Vegetarian Paella
  4. And this seafood paella recipe 

One bite and this easy seafood paella recipe will transport you to Spain without having to pack a bag or sit through a long flight. The flavors are rich and comforting.

The best part? The recipe may look intimidating but the process is actually quite simple. Anyone can do it!

Close up of paella in pan with spoon showing socarrat.

I knew that I wanted my Seafood Paella recipe to have these things going on:

  • A good dose of saffron flavor. I wanted that slightly-sweet, aromatic, almost minerally flavor as the backbone to the dish.
  • A perfect combination of protein – I used large shrimp (the bigger the better), spicy chorizo, clams and chicken thighs. That way, there’s a little something going on for everyone.
  • A good crispy layer at the bottom of the pan. That crunchy bit of rice that’s full of flavor.
  • An aioli accompaniment. In Barcelona, we found that several of the restaurants served a creamy garlic aioli alongside the paella. I can’t imagine eating it any other way!

But first, I needed a paella pan. I’d considered buying one in Barcelona, but that would mean lugging it home with us. With two suitcases already stuffed with local Rioja from our wine tasting trip, I decided it would make more sense to just purchase one back at home.

I ended up buying this one and it served its purpose well.

A paella pan is a LARGE pan with a flat bottom, and it’s pretty shallow. You’re going to be doing every thing in this pan. Starting with browning the sausage and chicken. Then adding your aromatics. And then, pouring in the rice and allowing it to cook all together.

Paella is the original one-pot meal!

If you’re in a bind, and don’t have a paella pan, it is possible to make this dish in a large skillet, but I would definitely cut the recipe in half. Otherwise, your pan is going to be overflowing. Trust me on this one.

Paella next to bowl of aioli.

I also picked up some authentic Spanish paprika. You want it to be fresh and high-quality. The same holds true for your rice. I used Arborio rice in this recipe, an Italian rice, named after the town of Arborio in the Po River Valley, where it is grown.

It’s the same rice that you would make risotto with. Like a risotto, when cooked, the rounded grains are firm, creamy, and chewy. They also soak up the flavors of the dish wonderfully.

To get that bold saffron backbone, I heat the seafood stock (or bone broth) with a pinch of the saffron threads. Yes, saffron can be expensive, but a little goes a long way.

If your grocery store has a bulk spices section, be sure to look for it there, and just grab what you need. It’s much more economical that way, plus you can be sure that it’s fresh.

As for the protein, I knew that I wanted a good combination of the freshest ingredients going on. So, I set off for the market to see what was looking its best. Right off, I grabbed some shrimp. These are the big boys. Like you eat two and you’re full.

I also picked up some fresh local clams, a few spicy chorizo links, and some boneless, skinless chicken thighs.

Seafood paella in pan topped with saffron aioli.

Really, you can throw whatever you’d like into this paella. Check out your local grocery store and see what’s looking good that day.

Instead of the shrimp, maybe throw in a couple lobster tails. Mussels more your thing? Swap out the clams. Not into spicy dishes? Sub in some kielbasa for the chorizo.

This is a totally customizable dish. And, don’t worry too much about the proportions of the meat either. Shoot for a total of three pounds meat/seafood to fill the pan nicely.

You will want to brown the meats in the pan ahead of time, to ensure that they cook thoroughly. They don’t have to be cooked all the way, just give them a good sear. They’ll continue to cook in the rice mixture.

However, with the seafood, you don’t want to add that until later, so that it doesn’t get overcooked. Bury your shrimp, clams, etc. in the rice and allow it to cook slowly as the rice finishes cooking. You’ll know they’re done when the shrimp turn pink and the clams open.

Be sure not to miss the final step in this recipe. Turn up the heat for the last 40 seconds. That short bit of time is what’s going to give you that crispy rice on the bottom. It’s THE BEST SECOND BEST part of the dish.

The BEST part of this dish? The thing that knocks this paella out of the park? The Saffron Aioli. Let’s just try to eke a bit more saffron into this dish, shall we? Plus… garlic, and creamy, and yummy.

Ingredients for paella labeled on counter.

Ingredients needed

  • Chicken Thighs – Boneless & skinless. Before cooking, coat the chicken with some paprika, oregano, salt & pepper. I like to let them marinate overnight for the most flavor.
  • Sausage – I used chorizo sausage, which has a little heat to it. You can also use kielbasa for a milder version.
  • Clams – I used littleneck clams. You can also use mussels.
  • Shrimp – You’ll want about 8 jumbo shrimp that are peeled and deveined. I like to leave the tails attached.
  • Parsley – Fresh parsley is the base for the herb blend. 
  • Olive oil – Olive oil is used in the paella and herb blend. Use extra virgin olive oil for a sharper taste or light olive oil for a more delicate flavor. Both will work depending on your preference. 
  • Lemon – Fresh lemon juice is used in the herb blend, aioli, and paella. You’ll need to juice two to three lemons, either with a citrus juicer or by cutting them in half and squeezing out as much juice as possible. 
  • Seafood Stock – You can also use or bone broth or chicken broth.
  • Green peas – Frozen peas are perfect for this paella. 
  • Onion – Use yellow or white onion. 
  • Rice – This recipe uses arborio rice, but any short or medium-grain rice like bomba, sushi, valencia, calasparra rice, or short-grain brown rice will work. Avoid long-grain rice like jasmine or basmati. 
  • Saffron – Dried saffron is used in the aioli and paella. You don’t need much- a little bit goes a long way! 
  • Mayonnaise – Makes a creamy aioli to serve with the paella. 
  • Paprika – Sweet and smoked paprika help add a savory, smoky flavor to the paella. 
  • Oregano
  • Canned Tomatoes 
  • Garlic 
  • Salt & pepper

How to make it

There are a few parts to this dish, but it comes together quickly and is definitely worth the effort! 

Season the chicken

Coat the chicken with a rub made from paprika, oregano, salt & pepper, and marinate the chicken for 1 hour in the refrigerator (or overnight).

Mix the herb blend

To make the herb blend, combine the parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, and salt and pepper together in a small dish and set aside. 

herb blend in small glass bowl.

Make the quick aioli

In another small dish, add the mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, saffron, and salt. Whisk until everything is combined and set aside in the refrigerator. 

Make the seafood paella

Add the water, stock, and saffron to a large pot over low heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer and keep the heat low to prevent it from boiling. 

Stock and saffron in small saucepan.

Heat the oil in a paella pan or a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook until browned. Remove to a plate. Add chicken and brown on all sides. Remove from pan and reserve.

In the same pan, sautee the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes on medium heat, until fragrant. Add tomatoes and paprika and cook until mixture caramelizes a bit. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains.

Stir the warmed stock mixture into the rice, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, moving the pan around so the rice cooks evenly and absorbs the liquid.

Add the herb mixture, peas, chicken and chorizo and stir. Add the clams and shrimp, tucking them into the rice. Continue to cook over medium heat until the shrimp turn pink and the clams open, approximately 8 minutes.

Give the paella a good shake and let it simmer, without stirring, until the rice is al dente, for about 15 minutes.

When the paella is cooked and the rice looks fluffy and moist, turn the heat up for 40 seconds until you can smell the rice toast at the bottom.

Remove the pan from heat and sprinkle the paella with 1/4 cup lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Let stand for 10 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges and quick aioli.

How to make the aioli for paella

The first time I made this recipe, I made the aioli from scratch, which calls for whisking egg yolks with olive oil slowly and carefully, so that everything emulsifies. Now, I made a “cheater” aioli by simply starting with mayonnaise and seasoning it with some garlic, lemon, saffron and salt. It’s way less stressful and tastes just as delicious! Promise.

Overhead shot of paella in pan topped with shrimp and clams.

What about socarrat?

You’ll know that you’ve cooked your paella correctly if you have a nice crispy layer of rice at the bottom, known as socarrat. To make this crispy layer, make sure you follow two key steps in the paella making process. 

First, once you add the stock to the pan, do not stir or disturb anything. You want the rice to stay settled at the bottom while it cooks. Second, in the final minute of cooking, turn the heat up high so that the rice that is at the bottom gets nice and toasted. 

Don’t worry if you don’t manage to get socarrat, your paella will still taste amazing, but it’s worth trying for as this savory crispy layer is truly delicious. 

How to store and reheat paella 

Store leftover paella in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. 

To reheat, add the paella to a pot on the stove over medium-low heat. Add one tablespoon of water and cover. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until the paella is heated through. 

Recipe FAQs

What kind of rice should you use for paella?

Bomba rice, short-grain brown rice, and arborio rice all work well for paella. Avoid long-grain rice like jasmine or basmati. 

How much saffron do you use in paella?

A little saffron goes a long way! You simply need to add a pinch (about 10 threads) to your simmering broth. I also added a few strands to the aioli for this paella.

Do you need to use a paella pan? 

Paella pans are wide shallow pans that allow liquids to evaporate while cooking evenly. They don’t come with lids since the goal is to evaporate the liquid from the dish. If you don’t have a paella pan, any wide shallow skillet will do the trick. 

Should you stir paella? 

Once the stock is added to the pan, paella is traditionally not stirred so that the bottom layer of rice creates a flavorful crusty layer on the bottom. 

Paella being served with large spoon.

What to serve with it

Paella is a giant dish meant to feed a crowd, so the side dishes are typically light and healthy. Any of these sides would be well suited:

Wine pairings for paella

  • Dry, light-bodied, fruity wines work well with this dish. Try a Spanish Rioja or Garnacha (Grenache).
  • I paired the paella with a dry Rosé and it was amazing! The acidity played nicely with the richness and spiciness of the chorizo and it’s citrus notes were perfect with the shellfish.
  • Bubbles! Think Cava or Sparkling Rosé. The bubbles help cut down on the richness of the paella, but they’re light enough so as to not overpower the delicate seafood.

More seafood recipes

Did you try this paella recipe?

If you loved this saffron paella, I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a ⭐️star review⭐️! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

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Paella in pan topped with dollops of aioli.

Easy Seafood Paella

This Seafood Paella Recipe is served with saffron aioli and brimming with shrimp, clams, chicken & chorizo. It’s an impressive yet low-key Spanish dish that’s perfect for parties!
5 from 3 votes
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Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

Spice Mix for Chicken:

  • 1 Tablespoon sweet paprika
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Herb Blend:

Paella:

  • 32 ounces seafood stock (or bone broth or chicken broth)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon saffron threads
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 links Spanish chorizo sausage (cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices, about 9 ounces)
  • 4 chicken thighs (boneless & skinless)
  • 1 large yellow onion (minced)
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes (drained)
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 3 cups uncooked arborio rice
  • 1 cup frozen green peas
  • 1 dozen littleneck clams (scrubbed)
  • 1/2 pound jumbo shrimp (uncooked and peeled with tails attached (about 8 shrimp) )
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • Lemon wedges (optional)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Saffron "Aioli"

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 clove garlic (grated or minced)
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice (to taste)
  • Pinch saffron (optional)
  • Pinch salt

Instructions

  • Rub the spice mix all over the chicken and marinate chicken for 1 hour in the refrigerator (or overnight).
  • Prepare the herb blend and set aside.
  • Combine stock, water and saffron in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer and keep warm over low heat (do not boil).
  • Heat oil in paella pan over medium-high heat. Sautee the chorizo until browned, remove and reserve. Add chicken and brown on all sides. Remove from pan and reserve.
  • In the same pan, sautee the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes on medium heat, until fragrant. Add tomatoes and paprika and cook until mixture caramelizes a bit. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains.
  • Stir the warmed stock mixture into the rice, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, moving the pan around so the rice cooks evenly and absorbs the liquid.
  • Add the herb mixture, peas, chicken and chorizo and stir. Add the clams and shrimp, tucking them into the rice. Continue to cook over medium heat until the shrimp turn pink and the clams open, approximately 8 minutes.
  • Give the paella a good shake and let it simmer, without stirring, until the rice is al dente, for about 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, make the aioli by combining all ingredients in a small bowl and stirring to combine.
  • When the paella is cooked and the rice looks fluffy and moist, turn the heat up for 40 seconds until you can smell the rice toast at the bottom.
  • Remove from heat and sprinkle with 1/4 cup lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Cover with a towel, and let stand 10 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges and saffron aioli.
Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!

Nutrition

Calories: 605kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 201mg | Sodium: 539mg | Potassium: 692mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1425IU | Vitamin C: 26.9mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 5.5mg

This post was originally published in 2016. It was updated in 2023 to add new information and to change the aioli recipe. The paella recipe remains the same. Enjoy!

29 thoughts on “Easy Seafood Paella Recipe with Saffron Aioli”

    • Paella only needs saffron its color, aroma, flavor. You do NOT mix paprika it neutralizes saffron. The same with chorizo the saffron NEUTRALIZES the saffron. You got rotten pot not paella.

      Reply
  1. What a BEAUTIFUL dish!!! I’ve never made paella, but I’ve certainly enjoyed my fair share of it. I think I’ve always held back because I don’t have a proper pan. Wonder if I could use a wide pan or something similar? This recipe is very enticing!!! And the photos are gorgeous!

    Reply
  2. This looks amazing, Erin! I’m drooling over here. It actually reminded me of my trip to London last year. That’s where I saw a giant (and I mean, humongous!) pot of paella at the Borough Market for the first time. So delish!

    Reply
  3. Erin, this looks and sounds fantastic. We, too, went to Barcelona with focus on paella and Rioja wine. Reading your recipe, this seems to have all the ingredients I could identify that I liked best; sigh … I did not find the garlic aioli there! We will be trying this in the very near future, substituting Santo Tomas “arroz bomba” for the arborio (similar rice, but from Spain). I like the idea of pairing with a light-style grenache (garnacha) …. fruity to complement the spice, and light enough in body note to overwhelm the seafood. I’m salivating already!!!!

    Reply
    • Hi Janice – The aioli is quite thick so I tend to dip my fork into the aioli and then dig into the paella. It’s totally up to you though!

      Reply
  4. Erin, this looks awesome. I’m having 8 people over for a dinner. Some questions are:
    1). 1 ounce tomatoes doesn’t make sense – what is correct quantity?
    2). 8 lbs. of unpeeled shrimp – is that correct quantity?
    3). You mentioned cooking shrimp and clams 8 minutes, until clams open, then mention cooking another 15 minutes, then letting stand 10 minutes, won’t shrimp and clams be over Cooked? Thanks

    Reply
    • Hi Corry – I’m so sorry about that!!! My recipe card was having some definite issues! It should be one 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes. Also, it should have read 1/2 pound of shrimp which is about 8 shrimp.

      As for the cook time, that was correct as written. I found that since it was such a slow simmer, the shellfish didn’t overcook. I always lean on the side of cooking a bit more done than being left with raw seafood. But I would definitely be open to experimenting with that… Maybe adding in the shellfish a bit later in the process?

      Reply
  5. Cautionary tale. Your recipe is excellent but there seems to be too much saffron or I added too much. The result was the taste of metallic chlorine. Saffron is apparently an unforgiving herb (let alone the price!!) and adding a little more does not make the dish a little better. On another site it advises dilute, add sweetness and a small amount of tamarind and/or fenugeek. Hope this helps anyone else with the same result

    Reply

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