Grilled Paella with Chorizo and Chicken

Paella on the grill is one of the recipes I use to show off. It looks stunning when you are done with it; I've been told that it looks too good to eat.
*Well, make that almost too good to eat.

It's also a great recipe for entertaining. It's a one-dish meal from the grill, and a big paella can feed a crowd. You don't have to run around cooking a bunch of different things while your guests enjoy themselves.
*Umm...not that I ever do that.

Make some gaspacho ahead of time, toss a salad, and when it's time, cook and serve the paella. Add some sangria, or a good Spanish red wine, and you've got an impressive party that looks like you slaved away for hours.

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Grilled Paella with Chorizo and Chicken

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• Author: Mike Vrobel
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x

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Description

A show-stopping one-pan paella cooked over charcoal, with Spanish chorizo, grilled chicken thighs, smoked paprika and saffron rice.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 pound uncooked Spanish-style chorizo, cut into 6 inch lengths
• 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Salt and pepper
• 1 onion, sliced into ¼ inch strips
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into ¼ inch strips
• 4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 2 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika (pimentón de la Vera)
• 3 cups short grain rice (Valencia, Arborio, or CalRose)
• ½ cup white wine
• ½ teaspoon saffron threads
• 6 cups hot chicken stock or water
• ¼ cup cooked green peas

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Instructions

1. Prep the ingredients: Have everything ready before you start cooking. Salt and pepper the chicken thighs. Put the onion and bell pepper in one bowl, and the garlic and paprika in another. Heat the stock, and add the saffron to soak.
2. Prepare the grill: Set up your grill for medium-high heat. On a charcoal kettle, light a full chimney of charcoal, and when it's covered with white ash, spread it in an even single layer over ⅔ of the grill.
3. Brown the meat: Put the paella pan over the coals with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. When the oil shimmers, brown the chorizo well on each side, about 2 minutes per side, then remove to a plate. At the same time, grill the chicken thighs on the grate next to the pan until well browned, about 2 minutes per side, and remove to the plate. While the rice simmers, cut the chicken and chorizo into 1 to 2 inch pieces.
4. Sauté the vegetables: You want about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan - pour some off, or add more olive oil. Add the onion and pepper, and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Make a hole in the center, add the garlic and paprika, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, then stir into the onions.
5. Cook the rice: Add the rice, and stir until the grains are shiny, about 1 minute. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Add stock to just cover the rice, and 1 teaspoon salt, and simmer for 15 minutes, adding more stock whenever the rice starts to look dry. Rotate the pan every so often so it heats evenly.
6. Add the meat: Nestle the chicken and chorizo into the rice, and add the last of the stock. Cook for another 10 minutes, rotating the pan occasionally, until the rice is tender - ideally with the rice just starting to brown on the bottom.
7. Serve: Season with salt and pepper, scatter the peas over the top, and bring the whole pan to the table.

Equipment

Weber Kettle

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Notes

Equipment: A grill, preferably charcoal (I use a Weber kettle and a Weber chimney starter), and a large paella pan - this just fits in a 13 inch paella pan.

Use uncooked or semi-cured Spanish chorizo. Fully cured Spanish chorizo is a good second choice - dice it and add it with the garlic and paprika. Don't use Mexican chorizo; uncooked Italian sweet sausage is a better substitute.

Pimentón de la Vera is Spain's smoked paprika - you want its smoky taste here.

Seafood paella: Skip the chicken and chicken stock, and use water and/or clam juice. Add ½ pound peeled shrimp, a dozen mussels and a dozen clams for the last 5 minutes, with the clams and mussels hinge-down in the rice.

Paella turista: Keep the chicken and stock, and add the seafood from the seafood variation. This is what most people expect when they hear "paella" - and it looks great at a party.

Serve with gazpacho, a green salad, grilled garlic bread (pan con tomate), and sangria or a Spanish red wine.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes

[Update 5/10/10]: Looking for a good source of Paella pans and ingredients?  Check out PaellaPans.com.

Questions? Comments?  Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Related Posts:
Here's my recipe for Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri
Here's my recipe for Grilled Garlic Bread (go with the Pan Con Tomate variation)

Adapted From:
Paella Perfect [NPR.org]
Paella on the grill [Steven Raichlen, Barbecue U]
Good Times, Good Grilling [Cheryl and Bill Jamison]

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