Saucy saffron rice on a white plate with roasted chicken, shell-on prawns, mussels, chorizo slices and peas, lemon wedges behind — Photo: Ewan Munro from London, UK · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Spanish & Portuguese · Lunch · Dinner

Chicken and Prawn Paella

Name: Chicken and Prawn Paella
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Cuisine: Spanish & Portuguese
Ingredients: 2 tbsp Olive oil; 400 g Boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces; 200 g Raw prawns, peeled and deveined; 1 medium Onion, finely chopped; 1 large Red bell pepper, sliced into strips; 3 cloves Garlic, minced; 2 medium Ripe tomatoes, halved and grated (skins discarded); 1 1/2 cups Green beans, trimmed and cut into 4 cm pieces; 1 tsp Smoked paprika; 1 generous pinch Saffron threads; 1 1/2 cups Short-grain paella rice (bomba or calasparra); 2 cups Low-sodium chicken stock; 2 cups Water; 1/4 tsp Salt; 1/2 cup Frozen peas; 1 medium Lemon, cut into wedges; 2 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped

Paella mixta

By BerryFit Kitchen · Nutrition checked with USDA data · Updated Oct 11, 2026 · How we make recipes

Saffron-gold rice simmered with smoky paprika, tomato and peppers, topped with tender chicken, juicy prawns and green vegetables. This lighter version uses less oil and lean protein but keeps the crisp, toasty base that makes paella special.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 45 min
Total: 65 min
Serves: 4

Medium
Dairy Free
High protein

29%

Per serving574kcal29% of a 2,000 kcal day

37gProtein

76gCarbs

13gFat

7gFiber

Calories come from: Carbs 53% · Fat 21% · Protein 26%

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Ingredients

For 4 servings

2 tbsp27 gOlive oil
400 gBoneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
200 gRaw prawns, peeled and deveined
1 medium110 gOnion, finely chopped
1 large160 gRed bell pepper, sliced into strips
3 cloves9 gGarlic, minced
2 medium240 gRipe tomatoes, halved and grated (skins discarded)
1 1/2 cups150 gGreen beans, trimmed and cut into 4 cm pieces
1 tspSmoked paprika
1 generous pinchSaffron threads
1 1/2 cups300 gShort-grain paella rice (bomba or calasparra)
2 cups480 gLow-sodium chicken stock
2 cups480 gWater
1/4 tspSalt
1/2 cup70 gFrozen peas
1 medium100 gLemon, cut into wedges
2 tbsp8 gFresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Steps

1
Heat the chicken stock and water together in a saucepan until steaming, then crumble in the saffron and leave it to steep off the heat.
2
Heat the olive oil in a 34-38 cm paella pan or wide frying pan over medium-high heat.
3
Season the chicken with the salt and brown it on all sides for about 8 minutes, then push it to the edges of the pan.
4
Add the onion and red pepper to the centre and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
5
Stir in the garlic and green beans and cook for 2 minutes.
6
Add the grated tomato and smoked paprika and cook for 4 minutes until thick and jammy.
7
Scatter the rice evenly over the pan and stir for 1 minute to coat it in the sofrito.
8
Pour in the hot saffron stock, stir once to spread the rice evenly, then stop stirring.
9
Simmer uncovered over medium heat for 10 minutes, rotating the pan if your burner heats unevenly.
10
Scatter over the peas and press the prawns lightly into the rice.
11
Cook for 8 more minutes without stirring, turning the prawns once, until the liquid is absorbed, the prawns are pink and opaque and the chicken reaches 74 °C / 165 °F.
12
Raise the heat for the last 1-2 minutes until the rice crackles gently to form the crispy socarrat base, taking care not to burn it.
13
Remove from the heat, cover loosely with a clean tea towel and rest for 5 minutes.
14
Sprinkle with parsley if using and serve with lemon wedges.

Swaps, storage and make-ahead

Swaps

Use boneless skinless chicken breast instead of thighs for a leaner cut, adding it back near the end so it doesn't dry out.
Replace the prawns with extra chicken or chickpeas if you need a shellfish-free version.
Use frozen cut green beans or any frozen mixed vegetables instead of fresh green beans to save prep time.
For a gluten-free paella, choose a chicken stock labelled gluten-free, since the other ingredients are naturally gluten-free.

Storage

Cool leftovers and refrigerate within 2 hours in an airtight container, then eat within 1 to 2 days because the dish contains rice and prawns. Reheat only once until steaming hot all the way through, and don't freeze it, as the rice and prawns turn mushy and rubbery.

Make ahead

Chop the onion, pepper, garlic and green beans and grate the tomatoes up to a day ahead, keeping them covered in the fridge. Cook the paella itself just before serving for the best texture and crispy base.

Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.

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Allergens and nutrition

Contains: CrustaceansCelery

Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.

Full nutrition

	Per serving (683 g)	Per 100 g
Calories	574 kcal	84 kcal
Protein	37.1 g	5.4 g
Carbohydrates	76 g	11.1 g
of which sugars	7.6 g	1.1 g
Fiber	6.9 g	1 g
Fat	13 g	1.9 g
of which saturated	2.6 g	0.4 g
Sodium	925 mg	135 mg

Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.