Recipe Chicken Paella with Lima Beans and Artichokes

AgileMJOLNIR

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Who doesn’t love a good Paella?! I love a good ”one pan” type dish such as this.

Paella has always had a special place in my heart and never fails to cheer me up. I like whipping up one of these from time to time and the best part is that there are so many variations of them its hard not to find one you wouldn’t like.

Ingredients​

20- TO 22-INCH PAELLA PAN (SERVES 10 TO 12)​

  • 8 ounces dried large lima beans (1 cup)
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 6 chicken legs, thighs and drumsticks split
  • 3 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
    1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 artichokes, trimmed to hearts, cut in quarters
  • 12 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cups canned crushed San Marzano tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons pimentón (smoked sweet paprika)
  • 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
  • 6 cups water
  • 2 cups bomba, calasparra, or Arborio rice
  • 4 rosemary sprigs

16- TO 18-INCH PAELLA PAN (SERVES 6 TO 8)​

  • 4 ounces dried large lima beans (1/2 cup)
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 3 chicken legs, thighs and drumsticks split
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 artichokes, trimmed to hearts, cut in quarters
  • 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 small green bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup canned crushed San Marzano tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon pimentón (smoked sweet paprika)
  • 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 cup bomba, calasparra, or Arborio rice
  • 2 rosemary sprigs

Method​

The night before cooking, cover the lima beans with cold water by 3 inches. Cover and let stand until ready to cook, then drain well.
Prepare an outdoor grill that will fit your paella pan. If you have a standard round kettle grill, the handles of the paella pan may prevent the pan from sitting directly on the rack. It’s okay as long as the base of the pan is smaller than the grill grate. Heat enough wood or coals to completely cover the bottom of the grill until very hot.

Carefully place the pan on the grill and add the oil. Heat until the oil and pan are very hot. Season the chicken with one-third of the salt and all of the pepper. Place in the oil, skin side down. Cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large plate.

Add the artichokes to the hot oil and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with half of the remaining salt and transfer to the plate with the chicken.

Add the garlic to the hot oil and cook, stirring, until golden, about 15 seconds. Add the bell peppers and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the tomatoes are starting to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Stir in the pimentón and saffron.

Add the lima beans and water and return the chicken and artichokes to the pan, along with any accumulated juices. Stir in the remaining salt. Bring to a simmer, then simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in the rice until evenly distributed around the pan. Make sure all the grains are submerged in the liquid. Scatter the rosemary on top. Cover, with the grill vents open, and simmer until the rice and beans are tender and the liquid has evaporated, 10 to 20 minutes. The cooking time will depend on how hot your fire is at this point and the type of rice you use. The bottom of the rice should be browned and crusty too.

Wearing heavy-duty oven mitts, transfer the pan to a heatproof surface or very large cooling rack. Tent with foil and let stand for 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Oven Paella: To make this in the oven, position a rack in the bottom of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Follow the instructions above and use a stovetop, straddling the pan between two burners, to sear the chicken and artichokes over high heat, sauté the vegetables over medium heat, and simmer the beans over low heat. After stirring in the rice and topping with the rosemary, transfer to the oven and bake. If the bottom hasn’t developed a crust by the time the rice and beans are tender, return to the stovetop and set over high heat. Cook just until a crust forms, then tent and let stand as above before serving.

Source: Curate cookbook by Katie Button


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This looks amazing. I'm having flashbacks to eating paella in Madrid's central plaza last year. While there are quite a few ingredients, they're readily available. The key, I think, is using rehydrated beans instead of canned or frozen beans. It might seem like a small detail, but it makes a difference with everything else coming together so nicely.
 
Looks like a great paella, and I love the use of lima beans and artichokes! The artichoke is very widely used in Spain and it´s a shame it´s so often ignored.
 
This looks amazing. I'm having flashbacks to eating paella in Madrid's central plaza last year. While there are quite a few ingredients, they're readily available. The key, I think, is using rehydrated beans instead of canned or frozen beans. It might seem like a small detail, but it makes a difference with everything else coming together so nicely.
Definitely as with a lot of things IMO. It just gives better flavor and texture, the only drawback is having to soak the beans for several hours or overnight so not convenient for a last minute lunch :)
 
Looks like a nice recipe, you made this a lot then? Do you vary the recipe from time to time or always stick with the same ingredients?

I haven't had paella since I was in Cancun in 2014. I've been to Mexico several times since then, but sadly, no paella.
 
Looks like a nice recipe, you made this a lot then? Do you vary the recipe from time to time or always stick with the same ingredients?

I haven't had paella since I was in Cancun in 2014. I've been to Mexico several times since then, but sadly, no paella.
I vary for sure but I do have my favorites. I’ve done vegetable versions, seafood versions and others. Paella is like a chili to me, there are so many different types to suit your mood and taste. One of my personal favorites is either Chicken and Shrimp or Chicken and Chorizo.

This one here I have made 3 or 4 times now and it’s delicious each time. The key is to get that nice crispy rice bottom, thats the hardest part if anything.
 
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I really appreciate this recipe, I am definitely going to make this. Thanks so much!
 
The key is to get that nice crispy rice bottom, thats the hardest part if anything.
Agreed. Its known as the socarrat.

Personally I don't like to use chorizo in paella as I find it can dominate the taste. For me, saffron should be the dominant spice. I like the use of lima beans (butter beans in the UK) in your recipe. I've not come across that before but will definitely try it.
 
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