This is a great quick recipe that’s got everything you need for a complete dinner, all cooked in one pot. Plenty of vegetables, with risoni/orzo and chicken. Tastes like risotto – loaded with tasty lemon-garlic Greek flavours!

One-pot Greek chicken risoni

Patience has never been my greatest virtue, so I shared many personal favourite recipes back in the early days when I first started this website in 2014. Every now and then, I like to revisit these older recipes and bring them to the forefront with sparkling new photos (that are in focus, wow!) and recipe videos where the chicken doesn’t have a weird green-ish/yellow tinge.

I have no embarrassment about my photos and videos from the early days because it reminds me how far I’ve come. But I do think it’s nice to spruce up these old recipes for your viewing pleasure – and hopefully convince you to try them. Like today’s new-old recipe: Greek chicken risoni! Complete dinner made in one pot, nice and quick to make, loaded with tasty Greek flavours.

What you need

Here’s what you need to make this Greek risoni recipe.

1. The risoni / orzo

Risoni is actually a pasta that is shaped like long grains of rice. Also known as “orzo”, find it in the pasta aisle. It costs around the same as spaghetti etc.

• Risoni / orzo – See notes above the photo.

• Chicken stock / broth and canned tomato – These are the liquids used to cook the risoni. Better than water because the risoni absorbs the flavour as it cooks!

• Tomato paste – This adds a little boost of tomato flavour to the sauce, as well as thickening the sauce slightly so you end up with that really lovely oozy texture in the finished dish. Not the end of the world if you don’t have it.

• Vegetables – I use zucchini / courgette and capsicum / bell pepper. Feel free to substitute with other sauté-able vegetables (carrot, beans, peas, fennel, corn, celery, frozen veg mix).

  Also, if someone could arrange for the global standardisation of food words, that would be super helpful. Thanks! 😂

• Onion and garlic – Flavour base aromatics.

• Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes – I like to scatter across the surface before popping the dish in the oven. Love the juicy pops of tomato that burst in your mouth!

2. Lemon garlic chicken

A brief marinade of the chicken with classic Greek flavours makes the chicken that much tastier! Here’s what you need:

3. Garnishes (semi-optional)

I say it’s “semi-optional” because while you can skip the fresh oregano, the feta is highly, highly recommended!

How to make one-pot Greek chicken risoni

This recipe starts on the stove and is finished in the oven. I like this technique because it’s safer/easier – no need to stir – and the surface gets caramelised which means extra flavour. Anyone who’s made the fan-favourite One Pot Greek Chicken with Lemon Rice will know this method works well!

1. Marinade chicken in the lemon, olive oil, garlic and oregano. Just 20 minutes adds decent flavour into the chicken flesh.

   If you’re pressed for time, you can skip the marinade, there’s plenty of flavour in the overall dish and the chicken will absorb flavour as it braises with the risoni. If you want to get ahead, you can marinade the chicken overnight – or even freeze the chicken in the marinade. So many options!

2. Brown chicken – Use a large ovenproof skillet / frying pan, or large pot. The one I’m using is a 30cm / 12″ non-stick frying pan.

   Cook the chicken, just to seal the outside and lightly brown it. It will only take about 2 to 3 minutes. Don’t cook the chicken all the way through as it will finish cooking with the risoni.

3. Sauté aromatics and vegetables – Once the chicken is browned, remove it from the pan. Then sauté the garlic and onion, followed by the zucchini and capsicum.

4. Add everything else – Add the risoni and stir to coat in the tasty flavours. Then add everything else – canned tomato, tomato paste, chicken stock, salt and pepper – and stir to combine.

   Top with chicken and cherry tomatoes but don’t stir them in.

5. Oven 15 minutes – As soon as the liquid starts to bubble, transfer the pan to the oven (no lid) and cook for 15 minutes or until the risoni is tender.

6. Garnish and serve – Remove the pan from the oven. There should still be small pools of liquid on the surface. This is what we want – the dish should be oozy and saucy, not dry and stodgy!

   Drizzle the dish with lemon juice, crumble over the not-optional-feta then sprinkle with the optional-fresh-oregano. Then serve!

LOOK how juicy and irresistibly oozy it looks. It’s calling your name!

Spoon into bowls, and marvel how it looks just like your favourite risotto. Except, well, you know. You haven’t been slaving over a hot stove for 40 minutes, ladling in stock and stirring, stirring, stirring.

Leftovers, should there be any, will keep for 3 days but won’t be as oozy as pictured because the pasta will absorb the liquid. A little splash of water before you microwave goes a long way to salvage it, as does a fresh sprinkle of feta and spritz of lemon juice (I find lemon juice flavour fades with time).

Hope these sparkling new photos and in-focus-video convinces you to make this!! – Nagi x

PS The Ingredients list in the recipe below looks deceptively long. But actually, there are quite a few double ups because of the way I write the recipe. So don’t be put off!

Watch how to make it

Print

One Pot Chicken Risoni

Recipe video above. A great one-pot meal for midweek, tastes like risotto but so much easier to make! Lemon garlic chicken, surprising amount of hidden vegetables, oozy tomato risoni (orzo), loaded with Greek flavours! The list of ingredients is looks long, but there's actually a lot of repeat ingredients.

Course Dinner, One Pot

Cuisine Greek(ish)

Keyword One Pot Dinner, orzo recipe, quick dinner, risoni

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 4 – 5

Calories 575cal

Author Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Ingredients

Lemon Garlic Chicken

• 1 lb / 500g chicken thighs , boneless skinless (or breast), cut into 2 cm / 1" pieces
• 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

Orzo/Risoni

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 small onion , finely chopped
• 2 zucchini (medium, or 1 large) , cut into 1cm / 1/3" cubes (Note 1)
• 1 red bell pepper/capsicum , cut into 1cm / 1/3" cubes (Note 1)
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth/stock , low sodium
• 14 oz / 400g canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups orzo/risoni (Note 2)
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes (1 Australian punnet)
• 1 tsp cooking salt (kosher salt)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Garnish (semi-optional)

• 2 tbsp lemon juice , drizzling at end
• 1/2 cup (100g) Greek feta cheese , crumbled (not optional)
• Fresh oregano leaves (optional)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Marinade chicken – Combine Marinated Chicken ingredients in a bowl and set aside for marinate for 20 minutes. (Skip if in hurry, can also do overnight)
• Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).
• Brown chicken (raw inside) – Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a a large oven proof skillet or pot over high heat (Note 3). Cook chicken until lightly browned but still pink inside. Remove from skillet.
• Sauté vegetables – Add 1 tbsp olive oil, garlic and onion. Saute for 1 minute, then add zucchini and bell peppers/capsicum. Cook for 2 minutes.
• Add everything else – Add risoni, oregano, chicken broth, tomato, tomato paste, salt and pepper.
• Scatter chicken and cherry tomatoes across the surface (don't stir in).
• Bake 15 minutes – Once the liquid comes to a simmer, transfer to the oven (no lid) and bake for 15 minutes (or until risoni is just cooked, tender but still firm). There may be liquid on the surface still – that's good!
• Drizzle with lemon – Remove from oven, drizzle with lemon juice. Garnish with feta and fresh oregano leaves, if desired, then serve.

Notes

1. Veg – Any saute-able veg will work great here. Beans, carrots, celery, small bits of cauliflower or broccoli, even diced frozen veg.

2. Risoni, also known as orzo – Rice shaped small pasta sold in the pasta aisle, same price as spaghetti etc. Tastes like risotto, but much faster to cook!

3. Cooking vessel – Pictured skillet is a 30cm/12″ non stick skillet. 28cm/11″ deep skillet ok too, any smaller and you’ll need to be careful re: liquid overflow when transferring to oven. Else, use a large pot!

3. Risoni cooks very quickly! So transfer it to the oven as soon as it starts simmering on the stove, otherwise it will overcook by the time the bake time is finished (it cooks faster on the stove than the oven).

Check it after 15 minutes see if the orzo / risoni is done. Don’t worry if it’s done and it’s still quite saucy – that’s a GOOD thing! The liquid evaporates quite quickly while serving. It was slightly wetter when I took it out of the oven.

4. Leftovers will keep for 3 days in the fridge though it won’t be as oozy as the risoni absorbs the sauce. Resurrect with a splash of water, and microwave.

Nutrition assuming 5 servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 575cal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 1174mg | Potassium: 1086mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1528IU | Vitamin C: 69mg | Calcium: 211mg | Iron: 4mg

Originally published January 2016. Spruced up with brand new photos and recipe video in February 2021 with minor recipe improvements (mainly process and writing). But most importantly, Life of Dozer section has been added!

More risoni / orzo recipes

I do love risoni! So quick to cook, tastes like risotto.

Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Orzo (Risoni) (One Pot)

Baked Creamy Feta Risoni

One Pot Orzo / Risoni Bolognaise

Creamy Salmon Risoni / Orzo (15 Minute Meal)

One Pot Italian Chicken & Orzo / Risoni Pasta

Greek Lemon Orzo Salad (Risoni)

Quick Chicken & Vegetable Risoni recipe (Orzo)

Life of Dozer

NO, he’s not being adorable, cuddling up to me. He’s trying to get to my toast on the other side.

SaveSave

SaveSave

The post One-pot Greek chicken risoni (orzo) appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Pearl couscous is the giant form of the more common tiny couscous. Also known as gourmet and Israeli couscous, it’s like little pearls of pasta – hence the name! Makes a fabulous salad and is a great one to take to gatherings for something different that never fails to impress.

Pearl Couscous Salad

The immature child within wants to call this a Giant Couscous Salad. But the proper name is Pearl Couscous Salad, so I went with sensible. But now I’m kind of regretting it!

Pearl couscous is the big brother of the more common tiny couscous that I use as a side dish for Moroccan and African dishes like tagine. Commonly mistaken as a grain, couscous is actually a type of pasta, and is ideal used in salads like in this recipe, or as a side like in this Syrian chicken.

While the tiny couscous can be prepared by soaking in hot water, pearl couscous needs to be simmered on the stove. In my view, the most delicious way to do this is to cook it like risotto, starting with sautéed garlic and onion then using broth instead of water. This infuses the couscous with so much flavor, you can even serve it plain as a side.

What you need for this pearl couscous salad

I’ve given this salad a Mediterranean spin with a bright lemon dressing, pops of tomato, juicy crunch of cucumber and a good hit of fresh herbs. The combination of dill and coriander/cilantro is a firm favourite. If you haven’t tried it before, you’re in for a treat!

For the salad

• Pearl couscous (see photos above) – Giant couscous that are sold in packets labelled as such. Other names it goes by include gourmet couscous and Israeli couscous. Find it alongside ordinary tiny couscous, usually in the pasta aisle.

• Garlic, onion and vegetable or chicken broth – This is for cooking the pearl couscous. As mentioned above, I like to cook the couscous in flavour to make it more delicious. Try it once and you’ll never look back!

• Fresh herbs – Dill and coriander/cilantro are a wonderful combination that I love using. Really try not to skip the herbs as they lift the dish. But in my view, this is still worth making even if you do not have one or both of these as the couscous itself and dressing add great flavour into the salad.

  Best substitutes are: parsley (same quantity) or a bit of chives (say, 1/4 cup finely sliced). For a different flavour profile but something beautifully fresh, try mint and parsley, finely chopped. Add to taste. Be bold!

• Baby spinach – Leafy green of choice. Finely sliced so it tosses through the couscous.

  Alternatives: Baby rocket/arugula, torn by hand or chopped into smaller bits (so it tosses though well). Or finely sliced kale, but best to marinate it first to soften the tougher leaves. Follow directions in this recipe.

• Cherry tomatoes – For juicy pops and lovely colour. Ordinary tomato cut into chunks or large dice will also work.

• Cucumber – For fresh crunch. Nice textural contrast as there’s no nuts or anything else crunchy in this.

Lemon dressing

A bright lemon dressing is a natural pairing here. No surprises in the ingredients! If you don’t have Dijon Mustard, sub with ordinary yellow mustard. And the lemon juice can be substituted with apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.

How to make pearl couscous salad

The pearl couscous needs to be cooked around 1 hour in advance to give it sufficient time to cool before tossing with the salad ingredients. You can speed up the cooling process by spreading it on a tray and refrigerating it.

1. Sauté garlic and onion in a large saucepan or small pot over medium high heat until the onion is translucent and starting to brown.

2. Add couscous and stir, cooking for 1 minute, to coat it in the flavoured oil. Add the stock/broth and water. Then once it starts simmering, place the lid on and turn the heat down to medium low.

3. Cook for 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is cooked through but still firm.

4. Cool – Use a fork to separate the couscous, then transfer into a large bowl to cool. The couscous will stick together into a big block. But don’t worry, it will separate when tossed with the dressing.

5. Dressing – Shake the ingredients together in a jar.

6. Toss! Add all the salad ingredients and fresh herbs into the bowl with the couscous then toss well with the Dressing. Serve immediately, at room temperature!

What to serve with this pearl couscous salad

Serve it as a meal in itself, which is what I often do, or as a side.

As a side dish, with the bright Mediterranean flavours in this, the obvious pairing would be all things Mediterranean like Greek Baked Chicken, Turkish lamb skewers, Greek Meatballs and Greek butterflied lamb leg. But I especially love serving this with African and Middle Eastern spiced things – like Chicken Shawarma which is pictured below. The fresh flavours of this pearl couscous salad are a terrific contrast to the earthy, complex flavours of Middle Eastern flavours.

Other similar spiced mains include Middle Eastern Lamb Koftas, Lamb Shawarma (oh my, this is SO GOOD!), Moroccan Lamb Meatballs and the Jerk Fish I shared earlier this week (YES! It would be amazing with this!).

Deceptively large amount of greens!

There is a deceptively large amount of greens packed into this salad. Because the beads of couscous are so small relative to, for example, pasta, there’s a lot more “stuff” for veggies to be stirred into. I’m not really explaining it very well! But if (WHEN!!!) you make this, you’ll feel like there’s a ton of greens for just 1 1/2 cups of couscous. But the couscous expands when cooking and once it’s all tossed together, it seems like just the right amount.

Hidden veggies!

Salad that can be eaten with a spoon!

Why does it feel so immature that this appeals to me so much??? – Nagi xx

Watch how to make it

Print

Pearl Couscous Salad

Recipe video above. I adore the bright Mediterranean flavours in this salad! Great one to take to gatherings for something a little different that everyone always loves. Serve as a side (6 to 8) or a meal in itself (serves 4).

Also known as Israeli and gourmet Couscous, pearl couscous is the big brother version of the more common small couscous. Texture and taste like pasta – soft but a bit chewy, but has a pearly, slippery surface (hence the name).

Course Dinner

Cuisine Western

Keyword couscous salad, gourmet couscous salad, israeli couscous salad, pearl couscous salad

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 – 8 people

Calories 477cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Couscous:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove , minced
• ½ small onion , finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups (250g/ 8oz) pearl couscous (aka gourmet or Israeli couscous, Note 1)
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth , low sodium
• 1 cup water

Salad:

• 2 cucumbers , diced (about 2 cups)
• 250g / 8 oz cherry tomatoes , halved (about 2 cups)
• 3 cups baby spinach , finely sliced (Note 2)
• ¼ cup coriander / cilantro , finely chopped (or sub with parsley)
• ¼ cup dill , finely chopped

Lemon Dressing (Note 3):

• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove , minced
• 1 tsp sugar , optional
• 3/4 tsp cooking / kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Couscous:

• Sauté onion & garlic – Heat oil in a large saucepan or small pot over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, saute until the onion is translucent and starting to brown.
• Couscous & broth – Add couscous and stir, cooking for 1 minute. Add broth and water, bring to a simmer. Then place the lid on and turn the heat down to medium low so it is simmering gently.
• Cook for 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is cooked through but still firm. Use a fork to separate the couscous, then transfer into a large bowl to cool. (It will form a sticky block but don't worry, it will separate when tossed with Dressing).

Salad:

• Dressing – Place Dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well.
• Toss! Add Salad ingredients into the bowl, pour over Dressing and toss. Serve at room temperature.

Notes

1. Pearl couscous is also known as Israeli Couscous or Gourmet Couscous or Gourmet Pearl Couscous. Basically, they are the giant form of the more common tiny couscous! Some recipes say to use a ratio of 1 cup of couscous to 2 cups of water. I find this makes the couscous too soft and gummy on the outside. Mine are cooked through and soft but “pearl like” on the outside rather than gummy, using a ratio of 1 cup couscous to 1.5 cups liquid.

In Australia, you will find it in the pasta aisle of Woolworths and Coles next to ordinary tiny couscous, and it costs around the same.

2. Baby spinach – Use about 2 handfuls of baby spinach (approx. 50g / 2 oz), or even ordinary spinach leaves. Kale and silverbeet would also work well (remove the tough stem in the middle of each leaf). Be generous – this is a great way to pack lots of greens into this salad because it mixes through so well. Hidden greens!

3. STORAGE: The dressed salad keeps quite well for 2 days – after that the herbs are a bit too wilted. But it is best served fresh. If you are making ahead, keep the Dressing separate until just before serving.

4. OTHER WAYS TO SERVE: This way of cooking the couscous flavours it so you can even serve the couscous plain as a side dish. If you want, dress it up a bit with a sprinkle of herbs, or a squeeze of lemon juice. Just imagine the possibilities!

5. WHAT TO SERVE THIS WITH: This Pearl Couscous Salad has bright Mediterranean flavours so while the obvious pairing would be with all things Mediterranean, I think it goes particularly well with complex earthy flavours of Middle Eastern spices such as Chicken Shawarma, Middle Eastern Lamb Koftas and Turkish Koftas. Would also be stellar with Greek Meatballs, yoghurt marinated Greek Chicken (skip the wraps in the Gyros), Souvlaki, Portuguese Chicken (skip the bread), Slow Roasted Greek Lamb. See my Greek recipes here and Middle Eastern recipe here. (New addition: excellent with Jerk Fish!)

6. Serves 4 as a meal or 6 – 8 as a side. Nutrition is per serving, assuming 4 servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 477cal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 547mg | Potassium: 1352mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 3582IU | Vitamin C: 116mg | Calcium: 270mg | Iron: 9mg

Originally published July 2017. Updated January 2023 with a name change from Israeli Couscous Salad to Pearl Couscous Salad due to the political sensitivity around the recipe name. The brand I used to use sold this type of couscous labelled as “Israeli couscous”. I don’t want my website to be a political forum so I’ve changed the name. And actually, these days most packets are labelled “pearl couscous”. Post has also been updated with an improved video worthy of this fabulous salad and refreshed photos. No change to recipe – it’s perfect as is!

MORE SUMMER SALADS to take to gatherings 

• Italian Pasta Salad

• Coleslaw

• Potato Salad and Lemon Potato Salad

• Wild Rice Salad <– reader fave!

• Everybody’s favourite Macaroni Salad

• Caprese Salad

• 12 Minute Sun Dried Tomato Couscous Salad

• Browse all Pasta Salads and Rice Salad

Life of Dozer

Teamwork! 😂 (Dozer on the left with this friend Aggie on the right!)

The post Pearl Couscous Salad appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Paella! This famous saffron infused rice dish is a traditional Spanish recipe that comes fully loaded with seafood or anything your heart desires! You don’t need a paella pan to cook paella, any skillet or even a large pot will do, and it’s surprisingly straightforward to make.

Terrific festive party food!

Paella recipe

If you’ve always wanted to but been too afraid to try Paella, I can assure you – there is no reason to be scared! If you approach it the right way – and I like to keep my recipes as risk free as possible – you will end up with rice that’s cooked exactly to your taste in a saffron infused, flavour loaded sauce with all your seafood cooked to perfection.

No overcooked seafood, and no mushy rice around here!

The beauty of paella is that it is in fact extremely flexible. Don’t get too hung up about getting the exact seafood I use. Don’t listen to the authors who tell you that you MUST use homemade fish broth or buy extremely expensive seafood stock.

I learnt Paella the Migeul Maestro* and Rick Stein way – as he wrote in his Mediterranean Escapes cookbook, Paella, whether it be for a quick midweek meal or a large festive gathering, is meant to be relaxed and fun, not stressful with strict rules.

So just chill out!!

* Miguel Maestro is Australia’s most well known Spanish Chef.

I say this is a straightforward recipe but I AM going to spend a bit more time on explaining steps and process visuals than I usually do (short recipe video extremely helpful for first timers) because I’m guessing paella is a bit of a special occasion dish for many and I want to ensure you nail it! (And you will, I promise – if you follow my steps!)

Best rice to use for paella

The best rice to use for paella is Spanish rice labelled as:

• Bomba Rice – or arroz bomba (“arroz” means rice in Spanish);

• Valencia rice or Arroz de Valencia (pictured below) – the other common name for Bomba Rice; or

• Calasparra Rice -or  Arroz Calasparra.

Paella rice packets tend to be very helpful providing clues such as pictures of Paella or “perfect for paella!” splashed across it.

Where to find paella rice – here in Australia, paella rice is sold at most Woolworths and Harris Farms, some Coles, delis, Spanish or Mediterranean delis (some Italian ones too), or gourmet stores. See below for best subs using more common rice.

Paella rice is a short grain variety of rice (ie it is short in length, distinctly different from basmati which is very long). The unique quality of paella rice is that it absorbs more liquid than other types of rice without getting bloated and mushy, making it ideal for a dish like paella where you want the rice to absorb loads of flavour.

Best substitute for paella rice is risotto rice (arborio rice) which has similar characteristics ie. ability to absorb lots of liquid, except risotto goes creamy if you stir it. The next best is medium grain rice – the same rice I use for rice pudding.

I do not recommend using: brown rice, long grain white rice, black rice, wild rice or any other fancy type of rice. And in anticipation of someone asking – NO to quinoa!!! (A million Spaniards almost fainted at the thought).

What goes into Paella

I divide the stuff that goes into Paella into 2 groups:

1. The Base Ingredients – rice, aromatics (garlic, onion, saffron), stock;

2. The Add Ins – chicken, seafood, chorizo

1. The Base Ingredients

• Paella rice – as discussed above. Buy anything labelled as Bomba, Valencia, de Valencia or Calasparra – or simply “paella rice”!

• Saffron – a signature part of paella is the warm yellow tinge of the rice and delicate saffron flavour. Saffron is expensive, even more expensive than gold by weight! So if your budget won’t stretch to real saffron threads, use a pinch of saffron powder (it’s artificial but will provide the same colour hit and some flavour – but don’t worry, we have tons of other flavour in this paella!);

• Stock/broth – just store bought chicken stock is fine here, we are going to get tons of seafood stock from the seafood we use. If you’re in Australia and insist on using fish or seafood stock, get the good stuff from gourmet or fish shops, do not buy supermarket cartons (they are quite nasty). US reads: I can highly recommend clam juice as an option if you want extra seafood flavour;

• Garlic and onion – essential flavour base;

• Tomato – fresh tomato is the traditional method but if you can’t get good juicy fresh tomato (as I couldn’t when I filmed the video), use canned instead;

• Capsicum/bell peppers – also adds to the flavour base, I really recommend using it; and

• Peas – optional, I like that it adds a splash of colour in an otherwise very red/yellow dish!

2. The Add Ins

And here are the proteins I put in the paella – chicken, chorizo*, calamari, prawns/shrimp, mussels. A very classic, popular combination.

* 45 million Spaniards just threw up their hands in protest at the inclusion of Chorizo, declaring it’s not traditional! But outside of Spain, it’s considered a key ingredient – and it adds a ton of flavour to the dish. 25 million Aussies would throw up their hands in protest if I left it out! So it’s in.

Forgot to include calamari in the above photo! if you don’t find rings, buy a squid tube then slice it – as pictured below.

How to make paella

Here’s how to make paella in 4 simple steps:

1. sear chorizo and squid first, then remove;

2. sauté onion and garlic, brown chicken, then cook the rice in the broth with some of the chorizo;

3. partway through cooking the rice, squidge the prawns/shrimp and mussels in which will leech a STACK of juices into the rice, adding loads of flavour; and

4. pop squid back on top, then cover and rest for 5 minutes before serving!

Part 1 – sear, make flavour base, add rice and stock

This part is pretty straightforward. The only key tip here is to only cook the squid/calamari for 90 seconds – squid cooks super fast and goes rubbery quite quickly!

You don’t need a paella pan. Any large skillet will work fine – or even a wide pot. In fact, paella pans require more advanced cooking skills because the everyday paella pans tend to be quite thin which makes the rice very prone to burning unless you have a stove burner made especially for paella (they have wide rings that turn down pretty low).

Note how we return some of the cooked chorizo back in to cook with the rice. It adds great flavour into the dish as well as salt.

Part 2 – cook rice, squidge in seafood

The rice is cooked uncovered – this is a distinct cooking technique for paella compared to other iconic rice dishes of the world like Jambalaya and Biryani. Initially, we cook the rice for just 10 minutes – at this stage, it will be partially cooked though it will seem to absorb most of the liquid.

But wait! There’s more liquid to come!

We add the prawns and mussels partway through cooking the rice because they cook faster. So the idea here is that the prawns, mussels and rice all finish cooking at the same time. If the seafood was added with the rice, they would overcook. Nobody wants rubbery prawns in their paella!

The prawns and mussels (especially the mussels) leech an astonishing amount of liquid as they cook – around 3/4 of a cup. Not only does this provide the extra liquid required to finish cooking the rice, it’s essentially our very own homemade seafood stock that adds a load of incredible flavour into our paella!

Part 3 – garnish and rest!

The home stretch! After 8 minutes, the prawns will be perfectly cooked and the mussels will be open so you know they’re cooked.

You will need to taste the rice to ensure it’s perfectly cooked (I know, I know, what an inconvenience! 😉). And it will still be a bit liquidy which is exactly what you want – because now we’re going to cover and rest it off the heat, during which time the excess liquid will be absorbed, leaving you with a bit pot of juicy paella rice, ready for serving!

Pop the cooked squid and reserved garnishing chorizo back on top before you cover it so the heat warms them through.

And just prior to serving, add some wedges of lemon and a sprinkle of parsley for colour!

How to serve paella

It’s entirely up to you whether you take it to the table as it is with the seafood completely covering the rice, or whether you give it a bit of a mix so the seafood gets jumbled through the rice a bit.

I tend to give it a bit of a mix to loosen the rice a bit, mix the flavour through a bit better and also disperse the seafood through. So I bring it to the table looking like this:

PAELLA COOKING TIPS

Answering your burning questions about making Paella.

1. What rice to use for Paella? The best rice for paella is Bomba rice, also labelled as Valencia Rice or Rice de Valencia (Valencia is the region that Paella is said to have originated from). The other common rice is called Calasparra Rice (a region in Spain where it is grown). See above in post for more information.

2. Best paella pan / skillet – Paella pans are large and shallow so the rice spreads out thinly and cooks evenly without stirring. But you don’t need a paella pan to make paella! Just use a large skillet. The key is to ensure the rice is not stacked up more than about 2 cm / 3/5″ deep (excluding the liquid & seafood added later, but including onion etc mixed throughout rice), to ensure even cooking.

3. The liquid to rice ratio for paella is usually 1 cup of rice to 3 cups of liquid which is on the softer side than ideal. I use slightly less (2.3 cups liquid per 1 cup rice) because seafood drops a LOT of liquid (especially mussels) and you can always add more water/broth at the end to soften / finish cooking rice but you cannot UNDO overcooked, bloated, mushy rice.

4. Cook in broth, not water – Fact is, the better the broth, the better the paella. The best is a homemade seafood broth. The 2nd best is a store bought chicken broth dolled up by simmering it for a while with some seafood offcuts, or make seafood paella like I have (so the flavoured seafood juices drop into the rice). The 3rd best is store bought chicken broth. Store bought fish stock doesn’t make the cut in my world – sorry. (Unless of course, you get a gourmet homemade one.)

5. Don’t stir!! Unlike risotto, paella should not be creamy. So once you add the broth, do not stir as this will activate the starch and make it gluey. The best paellas have a golden crust on the bottom, called the soccarat, and it’s the best part of the paella.

6. Add seafood partway through cooking – Paella takes 20 to 25 minutes to cook. So squidge the seafood in partway through cooking to avoid overcooking it. Even partially submerged, it is enough heat to cook. The only exception is squid – it needs to be cooked super fast (2 minutes or less) or super long to make it tender (60 minutes). Anything in between is horrid and rubbery. For paella, we take the super fast route – cook it first, remove, add back later.

What to serve with Paella

Back in 2016, in my pre recipe video days, I shared this Paella recipe as part of a 3 course Spanish Fiesta! So here are some suggestions to make a full Spanish Feast:

• Easy Tapas Starters – garlic mushrooms, Spanish potato tortilla, and more! (No recipe video for these, being that they’re old recipes. If you want videos, put in a request in the comments section below!)

• This paella for the main

• Spanish CHURROS for dessert! Astonishingly straightforward to make – 20 minutes start to finish – and they also reheat extremely well which makes them great make ahead party food!

So. Much. Food.

So, SO happy! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Note: recipe calls for chopped fresh tomatoes if you have find ripe juicy ones which I could not. Canned crushed tomato is the best substitute which is what I’ve used.

Print

Spanish Paella

Recipe video above. The most famous Spanish dish of them all! Paella is meant to be a fun relaxed dish, so don't get hung up about having the exact same seafood I've used - see Notes. And don't be scared of making paella - it is actually very forgiving if you have the right liquid/rice ratios and follow the order in which I cook things!

Note on Chorizo - NOT in traditional Spanish Paella recipes however, it's widely used in Spanish restaurants outside of Spain. Australia would faint if I excluded it. So it's in!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Spanish

Keyword paella recipe, seafood paella, spanish paella

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 5 - 6 people

Calories 692cal

Author Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Ingredients

• 1 - 2 tbsp olive oil
• 7 oz / 200g chorizo (2 pieces) , sliced 1/2 cm / 1/5" thick (Note 1)
• 200g / 6 oz squid (calamari) , cut into 7mm / 1/4" thick rings (Note 2)
• 1 onion , diced (brown, white, yellow)
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 red capsicum / bell pepper , diced
• 1 1/2 cups paella rice ("Bomba", "Valencia" or "Calasparra" rice) (Note 3)
• 2 juicy ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced OR 3/4 cup canned crushed tomato (Note 4)
• 300g / 10 oz chicken thigh fillets , cut into 1.5" / 3.5cm pieces
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth/stock (not low sodium) or homemade seafood broth (Note 5)
• 1 tsp saffron threads (or 1/4 tsp ground saffron, Note 6)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 12- 16 medium / large prawns , whole (shell on) (Note 7)
• 12 large mussels , cleaned & check freshness (Note 8)

Garnish

• Fresh parsley , chopped
• 2 Lemons , cut into wedges

Cups - Metric

Instructions

• Chorizo - Heat 1 tbsp oil in a 30cm / 10" paella pan or large skillet over high heat (Note 9). Add chorizo and cook until browned on each side (~ 3 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Squid - Add squid and cook for 45 seconds on each side, then remove and set aside.
• Garlic, onion, capsicum - Add remaining oil (if needed). Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 minutes. Add capsicum, cook for 1 minute.
• Chicken - Add chicken. Cook for 2 minutes until lightly browned but still raw inside.
• Add Rice - Add rice and mix until the grains are coated in oil.
• Cooking broth - Add in most of the chorizo (reserve 1/4 for garnish), chicken stock, fresh or crushed tomato and saffron. Stir.
• Simmer 1 - Bring it to a simmer then adjust heat so it's simmering fairly gently (not super rapidly, will burn rice). Simmer for 10 minutes - no stirring! At this stage, a bit of rice should be poking through to the surface but there should still be plenty of liquid.
• Add peas, prawns and mussels - Scatter over peas, squidge the prawns and mussels into the rice (partial submerge is fine).
• Simmer 2 - Cook for 8 minutes (turn prawns halfway if you think it's necessary) or until prawns are opaque, mussels are open, and most of the liquid has been absorbed but still a bit liquidy. Discard any mussels that do not open. Remove from stove.
• Check rice - Do a taste test to see if the rice is cooked - it should be firm but cooked. If it is too firm for your taste, no stress, just add a splash of hot water (not too much!) and keep cooking.
• Rest - Scatter over squid and reserved chorizo (residual heat will warm through), cover with lid then rest for 5 minutes (rice will absorb remainig liquid). Paella rice should now be tender but "juicy", not stodgy and thick (if it is, add splash of water to loosen it).
• Garnish - scatter with parsley and wedges of lemon. Take to table as is, then mix up rice with seafood before serving!

Notes

No salt? You'll find if you follow the recipe as is, it is well seasoned from the chorizo, full salt chicken stock (not low salt) and the seafood. When you taste at the end, if you want it saltier, add a sprinkle before you mix it all up for serving.

1. Chorizo - make sure you get cured chorizo (ie already cooked) not raw chorizo (ie like raw sausage, won't slice neatly).

2. Squid / calamari - often sold pre sliced, or buy a tube and slice yourself (as pictured in post).

3. Rice - paella is best made with paella rice. Get anything labelled: "Bomba, Calasparra, Valencia or de Valencia, or paella rice". Packs often have a photo of paella or "great for paella!" splashed across it. It will probably have the word "Arroz" next to it which means "rice" in Spanish. (Australia - sold at large Woolies, some Coles, all Harris Farms, Spanish / Euro delis, gourmet stores).

Best substitutes for paella rice:

• risotto rice - but add an extra 1/2 cup of water with stock
• medium grain rice - reduce water to 2 cups per 1 cup of rice (ie use 3 cups stock for 1.5 cups rice)
• long grain white rice, sushi rice - will work per medium grain rice, but finished dish mouthfeel quite different to paella (still tasty though!)

Unsure how much liquid to use for your rice? Make this recipe with 3 cups of stock for 1.5 cups rice, that's a safe amount for any type of white rice. Then if the rice is still too firm at the end, just add boiling water or hot stock 1/2 cup at a time and keep cooking. Drizzle all over the pan and just leave it om the stove.

Do not use: brown rice (takes too long to cook, too firm), basmati (too firm) or jasmine rice (too mushy), sticky rice (texture completely wrong for this dish), wild rice (too firm), black rice (too fancy 😂). Do not ask about quinoa (the answer is NO!😂)

If you DO NOT USE seafood, increase the liquid in this recipe to 3 3/4 cups / 925 ml for the 1 1/2 cups rice (because seafood leeches plenty of liquid), and I highly recommend using an excellent chicken stock (or clam juice / gourmet fish stock if you can) plus sautéing 3 chopped up anchovies (or 2 tsp paste) with the onion (it will dissolve, you won't taste anchovies - it will help with flavour loss from no seafood).

4. Tomato - diced fresh tomato is traditional, but if you can't find juicy ones (as I couldn't when I went to film the video) use canned instead.

5. Stock/broth - The better the stock, the better the paella. A homemade fish stock would be best. However, if you use some seafood, it drops juices while it cooks which adds a significant amount of flavour into store bought chicken broth and this is how I usually make it. You could go one step further and simmer the store bought chicken broth for a bit with seafood off cuts - that will add loads of flavour!

6. Saffron - saffron threads are traditional, but expensive! If you're on a budget, use imitation saffron powder instead - 1/4 teaspoon is sufficient, it's potent stuff.

7. Prawns/shrimp - whole fresh or frozen thawed prawns are best here because a) they drop more liquid to add flavour into the rice; b) shell protects to prolong cook time. If you only have pre peeled prawns, squidge them in more towards the end OR cook them after the squid, then remove, then stir them back in at the end.

8. Mussels - magical for paella! They drop loads of liquid which adds so much flavour into paella - about 1/2 cup from just 10 or so mussels. 

If there's a little raggedy "tuft" hanging from the side of the mussels, pull them out. Also, unless bought vac packed (as is common here in Australia) that says they're cleaned, give them a good scrub under running water.

CHECK FOR FRESHNESS by smelling each one because one "off" mussel will ruin the whole pan of paella (yes, really).  Fresh mussels smell of the ocean / seawater. You will know if you come across an off one (I don't need to describe the smell, just trust me, you will know).

Leftover mussels from packets - you will have more than you need, use the rest to make steamed mussels (on theme to serve on side!).

9. Skillet size - to ensure your rice cooks evenly, you need to use a large skillet (or paella pan!) such that the rice is not stacked up more than about 2 cm / 3/5" deep (before liquids go in). To check before you start cooking: tip rice in, then triple the height to factor in onion, chicken etc. As long as that is 2 cm / 3/5" or less, then it's fine.

10. Variations: Make it a plain chicken paella - use 500g/1lb of chicken. Substitute with turkey, lamb, beef or rabbit (very Spanish!), or even leave out proteins and make it a vegetarian or just a seafood one!

Other seafood that is fantastic in paella: Crab, other crustaceans, shell fish, scallops, fish. For things like fish and scallops, brown first, then add back towards the end (the way the squid is done in the recipe).

11. How much to make per person -  Allow for 1/3 cup / 65g of rice per person, plus around 150g / 5 oz of proteins and seafood.

12. FANTASTIC to make on the BBQ! Stick the pan right on the grills, then play with heat strength so you get a nice simmer.

13. Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings. 137 of the 692 calories is attributable to the chorizo (loaded up with yummy red spicy oil, totally worth it, flavours the rice!).

Nutrition

Serving: 553g | Calories: 692cal | Carbohydrates: 55.7g | Protein: 56.3g | Fat: 25.6g | Saturated Fat: 7.3g | Cholesterol: 284mg | Sodium: 1247mg | Potassium: 1055mg | Fiber: 2.3g | Sugar: 4.6g | Vitamin A: 950IU | Vitamin C: 96.5mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 6.8mg

Originally published August 2016, updated July 2020 with a new video, and lots more process steps!

Life of Dozer

Discovered a new way to exercise Dozer – using a drone! It makes me tired just watching him 😂 Also so glad that food doesn’t move…. he’s very difficult to keep up with!

And from the original publication date: At Sydney’s beautiful Bilgola Beach, drooling over this Paella on my computer screen and waiting patiently for me to finish, hoping I’ll let him hit the surf. No such luck Dozer, no dogs allowed on this beach! No swim for you this morning. And no paella either! #HardLifeForDozer

The post Spanish Paella appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

This churros recipe is astonishingly easy, and makes a truly great churros that’s hot and crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside. The molten chocolate dipping sauce is mandatory, and you’ll have an entire batch on the table in a mere 20 minutes!

BONUS: Churros are great for making ahead, making it a great party dessert.

Churros recipe

Up until several years ago, this churros obsessed food blogger thought Churros was native to Mexico. Thus on her first (but certianly not last) trip to Mexico, she was expecting to be in churro heaven. Churros, churros, churros everywhere.

But no. I barely saw churro at all.

Duh. Churro isn’t native to Mexico. It’s Spanish!🤦🏻‍♀️

So just as tourists here in Australia wonder why there aren’t kangaroos bounding around on the streets of Sydney and koalas snuggled in trees everywhere, I guess I totally missed the Churro memo.

Having said that though, it is actually very popular in the touristy areas of Mexico!!

We don’t break out the deep fryer very often around here. But with the promise of hot crispy churros waiting on the other side, and also because we only need to shallow fry rather than deep fry like when making things like Fried Chicken, we deem churros to be Fry-Worthy.

Also, it’s FRY-day today.😂 (FRIday) Admit it, you laughed!!

What goes in churros

All you need is flour, baking powder, oil and boiling water to make the batter, then cinnamon and sugar for coating.

Boiling water is key here – it makes the batter a unique “gummy” texture so when piped and cooked, it retains the signature ridges. There’s no sugar in the batter – with the cinnamon sugar coating plus mandatory dipping sauce, you absolutely don’t need it.

What does churros taste like?

They taste like cinnamon doughnuts – but BETTER because you’ve got crispy ridges. The inside is fluffy like a doughnut and they are at their prime freshly made, but they reheat exceptionally well too making them a great make ahead for parties!

How to make churros

The batter is a mere dump-and-mix job, and it’s got a unique thick “gummy” texture so the churros holds its form when it’s piped, even before it hits the oil.

The safest and easiest way to cook churros is to use scissors. Because the batter is so thick, you can pipe the batter out and it will hang from the piping bag as you lower it into the oil (as opposed to dropping out, causing the oil to splash), then just snip with scissors.

How long to make them

They come in varying lengths, with longer ones (ie 30cm / 1 foot) being more of a novelty type at carnivals and tourist hot spots. Around 15cm / 6″ is a more practical length – still long enough to look impressive, but short enough to cook in a standard size household pot.

You could also make shorter ones for small bite size options, and if you don’t have a piping bag, just drop balls of dough into the oil and make churros doughnuts!

How to serve churros

I know this might sound like an odd section to include for those of you with extensive churros eating experience – but actually, churros is not so common here in Australia so let me describe how to eat it!

It’s traditionally a street snack, so you buy one long one or a little paper cup with a few shorter ones in it, then eat it while walking around on the street. Managing a dipping sauce while on the move can become a bit tricky, but where there’s a will, there’s a way.

At home, I just pile them up on a platter with a little cup of the dipping sauce, then you just dunk and eat!

Don’t count the churros and compare to what the recipe says it will make. I’ll just tell you now – there’s two missing!

How to REHEAT Churros!

As with anything deep fried, churros are at their prime when they’re freshly made. They stay warm and crisp for around 20 minutes once they come out of the oil, which is ample time to cook a whole batch, coat in cinnamon sugar then serve.

After 30 minutes or so, they soften. And though, like doughnuts, they are still delicious when cold and soft, it’s definitely worth popping them in the oven to reheat and more importantly, crisp up again.

And if you are making these ahead intentionally (as opposed to just reheating leftovers), store the churros WITHOUT the sugar coating – this will make them reheat to near freshly cooked perfection, then just roll in the cinnamon sugar and serve! – Nagi x

PS BONUS: Churros impresses people. “You MADE these??!”  *She beams with pride, making a weak attempt to hide her glee*😂

Watch how to make it

Print

Churros Recipe

Recipe video above. I am obsessed with Churro!! Great party food because they reheat well in the oven. If you don't have a piping bag, just drop little dollops of dough in the oil and make churros doughnut balls!

Course Sweet

Cuisine Mexican, Spanish

Keyword churros, churros recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 12 - 20 churros

Author Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Ingredients

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

• 1/4 cup caster / superfine sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Churros

• 1 cup flour, plain / all purpose (Note 1)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp vegetable, canola or olive oil (not extra virgin olive oil)
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 cups+ vegetable or canola oil , for frying

Chocolate Sauce

• 1/2 cup dark chocolate or semi sweet chocolate chips (Note 2)
• 1/2 cup thickened / heavy cream (heavy cream)

Cups - Metric

Instructions

• Cinnamon sugar coating: Combine sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl, set aside.
• Batter: Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add oil and water and mix until just combined - it should be a thick, gummy batter, like a wet sticky dough, not thin and watery.
• Piping bag: Transfer dough into a piping bag with a 8mm / 1/3" star tip nozzle. Set aside while oil heats.
• Heat oil: Heat 5cm / 2" oil over medium high in a small pot, wok or small but deep skillet (Note 3) to 170°C/340°F, or until it takes 20 seconds for a small cube of bread to turn golden.
• Pipe & snip: Pipe 15cm / 6" lengths of dough into the oil, snipping with scissors (snip close to oil surface to avoid splash). Do 3 to 4 per batch, makes 10 to 12 in total.
• Cook: Cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden and crisp, rolling occasionally.
• Drain: Remove onto paper towel lined plate to drain. Then roll in sugar. Serve hot with Chocolate Sauce!

Chocolate Sauce:

• Place in a heatproof bowl and microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring in between, until smooth. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool and thicken slightly.

Notes

Makes about 12 x 15cm/6" long ones, or 20 shorter ones. 

1. Flour - Use plain / all purpose flour, not self raising flour.

2. Chocolate - Make sure you get chocolate for cooking (ie from baking aisle), not chocolate for eating! It melts properly.

3. Deep frying - In the video, I use a smallish pot which is large enough to make churros around 17 cm / 7" long. To use minimal oil, the best is to a wok (because the shape means you can use less oil for the same surface area for frying). A deep small skillet also works great.

4. MAKE AHEAD: Do not roll in sugar. Allow to cool completely, then store in airtight container (not in fridge). It will go soft. Reheat in 180C/350F oven for 5 minutes or until crisp, then roll in sugar.

5. GENERAL NOTE: Some people have commented about the absence of sugar in the batter. It isn't needed - the coating adds loads of sweetness, not to mention the dipping sauce!

6. Recipe source - This is a recipe by Nigella Lawson that I found online but no longer seems to be available. There is a version on Food Network but the ingredient measurements are slightly different and I found it does not work as well, (dough too sloppy) so I have stuck to the original recipe that I am grateful I printed out to save in my recipe folder!

6. Different Measures in Different Countries - Measuring spoons and cups differ slightly between some countries. The difference is quite small so it does not affect most recipes, but for baking recipes, it usually does matter. For all recipes on my site, where the difference does matter, I specifically provide different measures depending on where you are located, like for my Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. For this Spanish Churros, the measures specified in the ingredients will work whichever country you are in.

If you are in a high altitude or very humid tropical area, you may find the dough is sloppier than what you see in the video. In which case, just adjust by adding a touch more flour. And vice versa if your dough looks too dry.

7. No nutrition today. Because it's deep fried and I don't know how to calculate it. But I do know the calorie count is higher than a celery stick.

Originally published 2016. Long overdue for fresh new photos, brand new process steps and video!

More recipes that are easier than you think

A few more recipes people assume are too hard, but are much easier than you think!

Baklava

Falafel Recipe

Profiteroles

Biryani

Meat Pie recipe!

Fried Chicken

Vietnamese Chicken Pho soup (Pho Ga)

Laksa Noodle Soup

Life of Dozer

He’s not allowed in the shoot room when I deep fry – and he ain’t happy about it!

And from the original publication date in 2016:

Caved. ☺️

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

The post Churros Recipe appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.