Do you love rice, veggies, seafood, chicken and sausage? Yeah. So do I.If there’s a recipe that people have been asking me to make in the Instant Pot as of late, it’s Paella.
This classic Spanish dish is like a potpourri of awesomeness combining every member of the food group from veggies to meats, land to sea and all brought together by a wonderfully rich rice that is so packed full of flavor, you’ll hear endless “Mmmms” with every bite!
Not only is this an incredible dish, it’s extra special on a summer’s evening eating al fresco with some great company!
So go on, take your taste buds on a trip to Spain and trip the light Flamenco!
Here’s How I Made It!:
Don’t be intimidated! Paella really isn’t all that hard to make! I promise!
We’re going to start with a chopped onion, a chopped red bell pepper, a chopped green bell pepper…
…and a lemon zested.
Now we’re gonna take some chicken thighs (they make for a super tender and juicy chicken) and chop them into chunks…
…and chop up some chorizo too! Yes! This is a dish PACKED with protein!
Now, to the Instant Pot, let’s add some vegetable oil and butter and heat it up before tossing in our onions and peppers for a few minutes.
Follow that by adding the chorizo and chicken…
…some garlic, the lemon zest, white wine, chicken broth, turmeric, stewed tomatoes and saffron.
Now let’s add some Valencia rice (the best kind for a Paella) and give everything a good mix. Secure the lid and cook at high pressure followed by a quick release.
Switch the pot over to sauté and allow it to continue simmering for a few minutes so the rice absorbs more of the broth and thickens up slightly.
Now we’re going to add our shrimp and scallops (either frozen or thawed will do – just make sure they’re raw), mix in and simmer for a few more minutes until cooked through.
Top with some pepper and frozen peas (they will immediately thaw and become hot from the heat)…
…and mix in.
Set the oven to broil, add the Paella to a cast iron skillet with a few sprinkles of parsley, presenting it as a Paella should be presented and broil for about 1-2 minutes and serve!
You and your dining companions are going to absolutely LOVE this one!
Instant Pot Paella
The ultimate rice dish and a star player of Spanish cuisine, Paella has it all from seafood to meat. Use whatever proteins you prefer though and feel free to leave out the butter to make it dairy-free.
Ingredients
- 1 lb of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into strips
- 1 lb of Chorizo sausage, sliced into little discs
- 1 lb of fresh or frozen (uncooked) shrimp, deveined (and skin/shell on or off depending on how you like it)
- 1 lb of fresh or frozen (uncooked) scallops
- 1 large Spanish onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp (1/4 stick) of salted butter
- 1 tbsp of crushed garlic
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 lemon, zested
- 14.5oz can of stewed tomatoes, drained
- 1 pinch (a few strands) of saffron
- 1 tsp of turmeric
- 2 cups (12 oz package) or Valencia rice (just make sure you use a short grain rice)
- 3.5 cups of chicken broth (I used 3.5 cups of water + 1 tbsp of Chicken Better Than Bouillon)
- 1/2 cup of a dry white wine (drinking or cooking wine is fine)
- 1 cup of frozen peas
- A few dashes of pepper (and salt if you wish but I didn’t use any)
- Dried parsley flakes for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Add the oil and butter to the Instant Pot and hit “Sauté” and “Adjust” so its on the “More”/”High” setting. When it reads “Hot”, add the peppers and onion and cook for about 2-3 minutes until the onion become slightly translucent
- Add the chicken and chorizo and cook/stir for another 2 minutes until the chicken becomes white and then add the garlic and lemon zest stir for another minute
- Add the chicken broth, white wine, stewed tomatoes, turmeric, saffron and rice and mix well
- Secure the lid and hit “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” High Pressure for 8 minutes. Follow with a quick release when done
- Once the pressure pin drops and you remove the lid, give everything a good stir. The rice will be cooked without sticking to the bottom of the pot and there will be some extra broth which is good because we will use that to cook our shrimp & scallops as the excess broth continues to be absorbed by the rice
- Switch gears by hitting “Sauté” on the “More”/”High” setting and with the lid off, add in the shrimp and scallops (either uncooked frozen or raw is fine), mix into the rice mixture and stir often, about 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot to avoid any rice from sticking to it. If you are using raw seafood, it will take a little longer; if using fresh, a little shorter (of course this also depends on the size of the shrimp and scallops you’re using.) Either way, keep an eye on it as shrimp and scallops cook very quickly! When the shrimp and scallops are of the proper white/light pink color, you’ll know (just cut one open if you aren’t sure to see if it’s cooked). The sauce will also thicken more during this time as the rice absorbs it
- Add the ground black pepper (and a little salt if you wish) and frozen peas and give it a final stir.
- Transport the Paella to a nice serving dish
- Enjoy!
Jeffrey's Tips
Want to send it over the edge? When done cooking, plate it in a large cast iron skillet and broil it for about 1 minute in the oven before serving!
Want to use mussels and clams too? Go for it! But I’d suggest cooking those on the stove separately while the rice is cooking so they blossom when you’re ready to toss in the shrimp and scallops and then spoon the mussels and/or clams on top right after you’ve transported the Paella to a serving dish.
Don’t do seafood? Leave it out if you wish!
Want it a bit drier? Only add 2.5 cups of chicken broth.
Paul Adler
Jeff,
It looks delicious. What size is the instant pot? I have an 8-quart, and I’m wondering if I can double the recipe. I need to cook for a crowd…
Lorraine
I’ve always wanted to make this but there are only two of us and I’d like a recipe for less people, maybe 4 to 6 to start.
GailJ
I made this EXACTLY as you wrote it and it was delicious!
?? Is this recipe going to be in your 3rd cookbook? It is a winner!
Kathy stone
Jeffrey you are always awesome! Love your cookbooks and recipes!, great job!
Robin Jasper
Your recipes are the best. I am giving my grandson who is 14 the first cookbook with an apron so he can start cooking for when his mother has to work late. I’m sure he will be making some great meals to come. My boyfriend happens to be the one that began cooking from your on-line recipes and then it was me. Soon all the boys will be cooking thanks to you,