Entree: Spain – Valencia – Paella Valenciana (Valencian paella (rice with chicken and rabbit))

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 35 min

Additional 10 min

Total 1 hr

Ingredients

- 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces, approx. 3 lb (1.4 kg) total
- 1 lb (450 g) rabbit, cut into pieces (or additional chicken if unavailable) (such as European rabbit)
- 2 1/2 cups (500 g) short-grain rice (Bomba or Calasparra)
- 6 cups (1.4 L) warm chicken stock
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup (150 g) fresh or frozen green beans, trimmed
- 1/2 cup (75 g) garrofó or lima beans (or butter beans)
- Pinch saffron threads, about 0.02 oz (0.6 g), toasted and steeped in 2 tbsp (30 ml) warm stock
- 1 tsp (5 g) sweet smoked paprika
- 1 ripe tomato, grated (or 1/2 cup (120 g) crushed tomatoes)
- Salt to taste (about 1 1/2 tsp / 8 g)
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a wide paella pan over medium-high heat, brown chicken and rabbit pieces on all sides (8–10 minutes) and remove; add onion and garlic and sauté until translucent, add green beans and garrofó and cook briefly, stir in paprika and grated tomato and cook to concentrate flavors (3–4 minutes).
2. Return meats to the pan, add rice evenly, pour hot stock and saffron infusion over rice without stirring, adjust salt, bring to a brisk simmer and cook uncovered over medium heat until rice is nearly done (about 15–20 minutes), reduce heat for 5–8 minutes to develop socarrat (do not stir), remove from heat, cover with a clean towel and rest 5–10 minutes before serving with lemon wedges.