Paella mixta is a vibrant, one-pan paella recipe made with saffron-infused rice, tender chicken, shrimp, calamari, mussels, and clams. It’s a beautiful centerpiece for a special dinner or gathering with friends, and it’s easy to make at home!
One of the highlights of our recent community culinary trip to Barcelona was the hands-on cooking class at Barcelona Cooking School, just off the lively promenade of La Rambla. With music from street performers drifting in through the windows, our instructor Sonia Ojeda guided our group through a truly special Catalan meal.
We started with a classic Tortilla de Patatas and a strawberry gazpacho that completely surprised me—I didn’t expect to love it as much as the tomato version, but it was that good! The star of the evening, though, was the paella recipe she taught us how to make. Paella is a showstopping pan of golden rice studded with fresh shrimp, mussels, and clams.
Sonia was kind enough to share her paella recipe with me, which she said was a festive twist on traditional Valencian paella. I’ve adapted it a bit and added chicken to make it a paella mixta with vegetables, chicken, and seafood, but it still carries that same spirit of celebration. The rice is infused with saffron and paprika, the seafood and chicken are juicy and tender, and every bite tastes like summer by the sea.
Honestly, it was the best paella I had on the trip (and I tried three or four elsewhere). That dinner is a memory I’ll cherish for a long time. In the spirit of bringing those flavors and that energy home with me, I’m sharing the recipe with you, so you can experience it for yourself! When I make it for my friends and family, I like to bring the whole pan right to the table and let everyone dig in—because, really, a beautiful Spanish paella is meant to be shared.
Table of Contents
What’s in Paella?
One of Sonia’s key teaching points was that though paella may look impressive, it’s made with simple ingredients that layer big flavor into every bite. She walked us through them one by one, and I’ll do the same so you can feel confident cooking paella at home:
For the Rice:
- Seafood stock forms the flavorful base for cooking the rice. Use a good-quality store-bought version or make your own for deeper flavor. Chicken stock works too, but seafood stock really gives the flavor of the seafood a boost!
- Saffron gives paella its signature golden hue and distinctive aroma. It’s a special ingredient, so look for high-quality saffron like the one we carry in our shop.
- Extra virgin olive oil: My essential cooking oil, I use EVOO to sear the shrimp, brown the chicken, and bring richness to every layer of this paella recipe. This recipe really benefits from the bold flavor of a Spanish Hojiblanca olive oil.
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper are essential for seasoning each layer of the dish.
- Yellow onion adds subtle sweetness and depth. Dice it finely so it nearly melts into the sauce.
- Peas add a touch of sweetness and pop of color. No need to thaw frozen peas before adding them in!
- Green beans: These add texture and balance out the richness of the rice and proteins. Trim and cut them into 1-inch pieces for even cooking.
- Tomatoes: Sonia’s original recipe calls for grated fresh tomato. I tried it with canned crushed tomatoes and found that it works just as well (and saves time!)
- Garlic: Just one clove gives a fragrant base to the tomato mixture. Mince it finely so it melds into the sauce.
- Spanish bomba rice: This short-grain rice absorbs the broth without turning mushy, making it ideal for paella. It typically needs to cook for about 18 to 20 minutes, and when it’s done, the grains should be tender but dry and distinct, not creamy like risotto. If you don’t have bomba rice, use Arborio or Carnaroli.
- Smoked paprika adds a deep, earthy flavor with a touch of heat. Look for Spanish smoked paprika—it’s an absolute staple in my spice drawer!
Meat and Seafood
- Chicken thighs: Boneless, skinless thighs stay juicy during cooking and add a satisfying heartiness to balance the delicate seafood. Cut them into bite-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- Shrimp: Juicy shrimp absorb the aromas of the paella beautifully. Choose bigger shrimp for this recipe so they just cook through. Smaller shrimp are likely to overcook and get mealy. Look for wild-caught shrimp and make sure to devein them.
- Calamari: Tender squid adds great texture and mild ocean flavor. You’ll often find it sold frozen, already cleaned—just thaw in the fridge before using.
- Fresh mussels and clams: Fresh shellfish steam right in the pan, adding briny flavor and visual wow factor. Make sure to scrub and debeard the mussels and purge the clams in cold water before cooking. Unsure of what that means? Follow the detailed instructions here.
How to Make Spanish Paella
This Paella recipe does take a bit of prep—about an hour from start to finish—but it’s more about layering simple ingredients than difficult technique. It’s the perfect dish for a dinner party or Sunday gathering, especially if you can enjoy it outside with a cold glass of white wine.
- Prep the seafood and chicken: Purge and scrub 8 (1/2 pound) fresh live Manila or littleneck clams. Cut 1/2 pound (227g) cleaned calamari into 1/2-inch thick rings and bite-sized pieces. Scrub and debeard 12 (1/2 pound) fresh live mussels. Cut 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces.
- Heat the stock: Bring 4 cups seafood stock and 8 saffron threads to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and keep the stock at a simmer. While the stock heats, begin working on the paella.
- Sear the shrimp: Heat 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large paella pan or a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Season 8 shelled and deveined jumbo shrimp generously with salt and pepper. Add the shrimp to the pan and cook until seared, about 1 minute per side. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Brown the chicken: Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the pan and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. You do not need to cook them all the way through at this stage. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Cook the vegetables and calamari: Add 1 diced yellow onion and squid. Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the onion starts to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the 2/3 cup (3 1/2 ounces) frozen or fresh peas and 3 1/2 ounces green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes and 1 minced garlic clove, and cook until the tomato reduces by half, about 2 minutes.
- Cook the rice: Add 1 3/4 cups (360g) Spanish bomba rice, mussels, clams, 1/2 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika, and reserved chicken pieces to the pan. Cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat the rice. Use the wooden spoon to distribute the contents of the pan into an even layer. Pour in the hot stock and add a pinch of salt. Cook, without stirring, for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all of the stock and is tender. When it’s nearly there, add the reserved shrimp on top of the rice and cook for about 3 minutes longer.
- Rest: Take the pan off the heat. Let the paella stand for 3 minutes before serving.
Do You Need a Paella Pan to make Paella?
You don’t need a traditional paella pan to make delicious paella at home, but it does make a difference if you have one! A real paella pan is wide and shallow, which helps the rice cook evenly in a thin layer and encourages that golden, crispy bottom layer called socarrat.
That said, if you don’t have one, don’t worry—you can use a large, wide skillet (12 inches or more) or a cast iron pan. For 4 people, a 16-inch pan (measured across the top) is ideal. Use the widest pan you can fit on your burner. Just make sure it’s not too deep, so the liquid can reduce properly. The key is even heat and resisting the urge to stir once the broth is in!
Paella Recipe Cooking Tips
Our tour members asked some great questions about how to make the best paella at home. Here are two of the gems I took with me!
- To Shell or Not to Shell? I learned from Sonia that in Spain, restaurants rarely serve seafood shelled or deboned. They see it as a sign that the quality is bad and you have something to hide. Plus, the shell adds flavor. When served with cleaned, deveined shrimp and the shellfish removed from their shells, it’s called paella “del señorito.” Because historically, it wouldn’t be too messy for the upper-class men to eat during a work lunch. You can serve it this way, or you can just let people get a little messy!
- Rice Underdone? A common issue with paella is that the rice at the top can be a little underdone, even while the bottom is cooked. Sonia’s trick to fix that is to take the paella off the heat and cover it with a clean, damp kitchen towel for 5 to 10 minutes. This gentle rest lets the steam redistribute and finishes cooking the top layer without overcooking on the bottom.
What to Serve with Paella
I’m a huge fan of paella and already have two other recipes, a Seafood Pella and Chicken Paella on the site. I like to serve this version with Tortilla de Patatas and Watermelon gazpacho (when in season) to recall the way I had it in Barcelona, but truly, you need very little besides this impressive dish.
Add a couple of Spanish tapas if you want to serve it at a dinner party, and a pitcher of red sangria or white sangria to sip.
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Paella with Chicken and Seafood (Paella mixta)
Ingredients
- 4 cups seafood stock
- 8 saffron threads
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 8 jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 pound cleaned calamari, cut into 1/2-inch thick rings and bite-sized pieces (227g)
- 2/3 cup frozen or fresh peas
- 3/4 cup chopped green beans, cut in 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 3/4 cups Spanish bomba rice (360g)
- 1/2 pound fresh live mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded if necessary (about a dozen)
- 1/2 pound fresh live Manila or little neck clams, purged and scrubbed (8 to 10)
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
Instructions
- Heat the stock. Bring the seafood stock and saffron threads to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and keep the stock at a simmer. While the stock heats, begin working on the paella.
- Sear the shrimp. Heat the olive oil in a large paella pan or a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp generously with salt and pepper. Add the shrimp to the pan and cook until seared, about 1 minute per side. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Brown the chicken. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. It does not need to be cooked all the way through at this stage. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Cook the vegetables and calamari. Add the onion and squid. Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the onion starts to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the peas and green beans, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and garlic, and cook until the tomato reduces by half, about 2 minutes.
- Cook the rice. Add the rice, mussels, clams, paprika, and reserved chicken pieces. Cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat the rice. Use the wooden spoon to distribute the contents of the pan into an even layer. Pour in the hot stock and add a pinch of salt. Cook, without stirring, for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until all of the stock has been absorbed and the rice is tender. About 3 minutes before the paella is done cooking, add the reserved shrimp on top of the rice.
- Rest. Take the pan off the heat. Let the paella stand for 3 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the olive oil, saffron, Arborio rice and smoked paprika used in this recipe.
- Choose the right pan: You don’t need a traditional paella pan to make delicious paella at home, but it does make a difference if you have one! A real paella pan is wide and shallow, which helps the rice cook evenly in a thin layer and encourages that golden, crispy bottom layer called socarrat. If you don’t have one, don’t worry—you can use a large, wide skillet (12 inches or more) or a cast iron pan. For 4 people, a 16-inch pan (measured across the top) is ideal. Use the widest pan you can fit on your burner. Just make sure it’s not too deep, so the liquid can reduce properly. The key is even heat and resisting the urge to stir once the broth is in!
Nutrition
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