Maria’s Paella
This meal comes from a family in Catalonia, Spain. It has been passed down for many years.
It uses rice flavored with saffron. The dish has chicken, shrimp, squid, clams, and scallops.
By Nadia Kovalenko
Posted October 8, 2026Share
Time
Calories
Servings
Difficulty
Description
This meal comes from a family in Catalonia, Spain. It has been passed down for many years.
It uses rice flavored with saffron. The dish has chicken, shrimp, squid, clams, and scallops.
Quick Tip Read the recipe in its entirety before you start cooking. This will help you understand the ingredients, steps, and timing involved, and allow you to prepare any necessary equipment or ingredients beforehand.
Ingredients 18
0.5 cup olive oil
1.25 pounds chicken thighs
0.5 cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
0.25 pound calamari rings
0.25 pound small shrimp - peeled and deveined
0.5 green bell pepper, diced
0.5 red bell pepper, diced
6 cups water
3 cups long grain rice
1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
0.5 cup peas
2 teaspoons saffron threads
1 teaspoon salt
6 large clams in shell, scrubbed
6 jumbo shrimp in shells (21-25 per lb.)
6 large sea scallops
6 wedges lemon
Instructions
-
1
Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Fry chicken thighs skin-side down until brown on both sides. This takes about 5 minutes. Put the meat on a plate.
-
2
Put onion and garlic in the pan. Cook for 1 minute until soft. Add the calamari, small shrimp, and bell peppers. Stir for 2 minutes.
-
3
Mix in water, rice, tomatoes, peas, saffron, and salt. Put the chicken back in the pan. Simmer on medium-high heat for 15 minutes. Stir often so the rice does not stick.
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4
Push clams and jumbo shrimp into the rice. Lower heat to medium-low and cover the pan. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add scallops and cover again. Cook for 5 minutes until the rice is soft and scallops are firm. Serve with lemon wedges.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 6
Amount Per Serving
-
Calories 814 kcal
% Daily Value *
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Total Fat 30g
-
Saturated Fat 6g
-
Cholesterol 211mg
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Sodium 770mg
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Total Carbohydrate 87g
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Dietary Fiber 4g
-
Protein 47g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
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