Description
A quick and easy Microwave Cheat’s Paella recipe that brings the rich flavors of traditional Spanish paella to your table without the fuss. Made with chicken, chorizo, and peas, this one-pot dish uses the microwave for a simple, fast, and delicious meal packed with smoky and savory notes.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely grated
- ½ tbsp sweet smoked paprika
- 300g paella rice
- pinch of saffron (optional)
Protein
- 200g chicken, thinly sliced
- 200g chorizo, chopped
Liquids and Seasoning
- 700ml chicken stock
- ½ lemon, juiced, plus wedges to serve
- Pinch of salt
Vegetables and Garnish
- 150g frozen peas
- small handful of parsley, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Prepare aromatics: Put the olive oil, finely chopped onion, crushed or grated garlic, and a pinch of salt into a large microwaveable dish. Mix well and heat on high power for 3 minutes to soften the onion and awaken the flavors.
- Infuse stock: While the aromatics cook, combine 700ml of chicken stock with a pinch of saffron in a jug and let it infuse for a couple of minutes to develop the distinctive yellow hue and subtle aroma.
- Add rice and proteins: Stir the sweet smoked paprika, paella rice, thinly sliced chicken, and chopped chorizo into the softened onion and garlic mixture in the microwave dish. Pour in the infused chicken stock and season well with salt, making sure everything is evenly combined.
- First cooking cycle: Cover the dish and cook on high power in the microwave for 15 minutes. This allows the rice to absorb the stock and cook through with the meats releasing their flavors.
- Stir and second cooking cycle: After 15 minutes, carefully remove the cover and stir the paella mixture to redistribute ingredients. Cover again and cook on high for another 5 minutes to further tenderize the rice and meat.
- Finish with peas and final cooking: Remove the cover again, watching out for steam. Stir in the frozen peas and add an additional 100ml of water if the paella appears dry. Cook uncovered on high for a final 3 minutes to heat the peas and evaporate excess moisture.
- Garnish and serve: Drizzle the juice of half a lemon over the paella and scatter roughly chopped parsley on top. Serve immediately with lemon wedges for an extra zest.
Notes
- If saffron is unavailable, you can omit it or use a pinch of turmeric as a color substitute, though flavor will differ.
- Use a large microwave-safe dish to avoid spills during cooking.
- Adjust cooking times based on your microwave’s wattage for best results.
- Frozen peas can be substituted with fresh peas if in season.
- For a vegetarian version, omit chicken and chorizo and use vegetable stock instead.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 26 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Microwaving
- Cuisine: Spanish
Keywords: paella, microwave paella, quick paella, chicken paella, chorizo recipe, easy Spanish recipe
