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Filipino-Style Paella

Filipino-Style Paella

Paella (pronounced as "pa-EL-ya") is a beloved Spanish rice dish that has found its way into Filipino cuisine through our rich colonial heritage. In the Philippines, we call it "Paelya," and it's considered one of our most prestigious celebration dishes, often gracing tables during Noche Buena, fiestas, and special gatherings.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Breakfast, Main Course
Cuisine Filipino, Spanish
Servings 12
Calories 401 kcal
Difficulty Intermediate

Equipment

  • Paellera or wide, shallow pan (24-28 inches)
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Sharp knife
  • Cutting board
  • Kitchen tongs
  • Aluminum foil

Ingredients
 

For the Rice Base:

  • 4 cups long grain rice bigas
  • 1 teaspoon saffron threads asafrón or 2 teaspoons turmeric (luyang dilaw)
  • 8 cups warm water mainit na tubig
  • 1 cup tomato sauce

For the Proteins:

  • 3 pounds whole chicken cut into serving parts (manok)
  • 5 ounces chorizo de bilbao sliced thickly
  • 1 pound large shrimp hipon, deveined
  • 1 dozen mussels tahong, cleaned and debearded

For the Aromatics:

  • 3 cloves garlic bawang, minced
  • 1 onion sibuyas, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika pulang paminta
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt asin and pepper (paminta) to taste

Instructions
 

  • Start with marinating the chicken. Season chicken pieces with paprika, salt (asin), and pepper (paminta). Make small cuts in the meat for better flavor absorption and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the seafood. Clean the shrimp (hipon) by removing heads and shells but keeping tails intact (tanggalin ang ulo at balat, pero iwan ang buntot). Clean and debeard the mussels (linisin at tanggalin ang buhok ng tahong). For the rice (bigas), rinse once and steep saffron (asafrón) in ¼ cup warm water for 15 minutes.
  • Heat the paellera or wide pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and cook sliced chorizo de bilbao until oils release, about 3-4 minutes. Remove and set aside, keeping the flavored oil in the pan. In the same oil, brown the marinated chicken pieces (5-7 minutes per side) until golden brown, then remove.
  • Create the sofrito base by sautéing minced garlic (bawang) until golden (1 minute), then add chopped onions (sibuyas) and cook until translucent (3-4 minutes). Add tomato sauce and cook until slightly reduced (5 minutes), scraping the bottom to release flavors.
  • Add rice to the pan and stir to coat with sauce. Pour in the saffron water and remaining warm water (mainit na tubig). Bring to a boil. Once boiling, STOP STIRRING (huwag nang haluin). Return chicken and chorizo, arranging in a decorative pattern. Reduce heat to low, cover with foil, and cook for 15 minutes.
  • Remove foil and arrange shrimp and mussels in a circular pattern, pushing slightly into rice. Replace foil and cook for 10 minutes. For the socarrat (tutong), remove foil and increase heat to medium-high for 2-3 minutes until you hear a crackling sound. Remove from heat, keep covered, and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Tips from Lola's Kitchen

  1. Rice Selection: While traditional Spanish paella uses Bomba rice, our local premium rice varieties work well too. Choose rice that's newly harvested for best results.
  2. Saffron Substitute: If saffron is too expensive, combine turmeric with kasubha (safflower) for color and aroma.
  3. Perfect Socarrat: To achieve the coveted crusty bottom, listen for a crackling sound in the final minutes of cooking.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 401kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 20gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 353mgPotassium: 307mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 520IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 1mg
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