Tomato Paella with Chicken and Shrimp
A rich, deeply flavorful Spanish-inspired paella made with bomba rice, sauteed chicken, shrimp, and a tomato base built with sofrito, sazon con achiote, and roasted red pepper. No fresh seafood required — this pantry-friendly version is every bit as satisfying as the classic.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts cut into chunks
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced plus extra strips for garnish
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp Goya sofrito tomato based
- 1 can (14 oz) chopped tomatoes
- 1.5 cups bomba rice
- 1 packet annatto seasoning
- handful of shrimp optional
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 2-3 lemon wedges
- sliced red bell pepper strips
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large paella pan or wide skillet over medium-high heat and sauté until golden brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, add the diced onion and diced red bell pepper. Sautee over medium heat until softened and almost caramelized, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for one more minute until fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste and Goya sofrito. Stir everything together and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the tomato paste deepens in color.
- Pour in the canned chopped tomatoes and stir to combine. Let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the bomba rice directly into the pan and stir to coat every grain in the tomato base. Let it toast for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the annatto seasoning and stir to distribute evenly.
- Pour in the chicken broth and add the reserved chicken back into the pan. Stir once to incorporate everything evenly, then do not stir again.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook uncovered for 18 to 20 minutes until the rice has absorbed most of the broth.
- In the last 5 minutes of cooking, nestle the cooked shrimp and red bell pepper strips into the rice.
- Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, lemon wedges, and red bell pepper strips. Serve directly from the pan.
Notes
- Bomba rice is traditional for paella because it absorbs more liquid without becoming mushy. Do not substitute with regular long grain rice if you can avoid it. Arborio works in a pinch.
- The key to great paella is not stirring once the broth is added. Resist the urge — it allows the coveted socarrat (crispy bottom layer) to form.
- Sazon con achiote is what gives this rice its beautiful deep orange-red color. Find it at any Latin grocery store or in the Latin aisle of most supermarkets. Goya brand is widely available.
- Goya sofrito adds a deeply savory, aromatic base that takes this paella to the next level. Do not skip it.
- This recipe is incredibly flexible. You can add mussels, clams, chorizo, or keep it purely vegetarian with extra vegetables.
- Leftovers reheat beautifully with a splash of chicken broth in a covered pan over low heat.