Chicken and Sausage Paella Recipe

Last Updated on October 12, 2021 by Anne-Marie

This easy chicken and sausage paella recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner. This quick chicken paella dish with quinoa will become a family favorite.

A brown bowl Chicken and Sausage Paella on a woven mat.

Why this recipe works

I was sent this tasty Chicken and Sausage Paella recipe by Cybele Pascal a few years ago.

It arrived along with a copy of her cookbook, Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking: 30-Minute Meals Without Gluten, Wheat, Dairy, Eggs, Soy, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Fish, Shellfish, and Sesame.

I love this quick chicken paella dish, because like Cybele’s other recipes from her Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking cookbook, it’s healthy, delicious and can quickly be put together on a weekday night.

As you can tell by the title, it’s also for people with food allergies and food sensitivities even to unusual things like sesame seeds.

I’ve been dipping into it lately because my daughter was recently diagnosed with a sesame seed allergy.

It’s a follow up to her book The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook.

Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking for all

I met Cybele at a event in Los Angeles several years ago. She's lovely and so smart!

She knows all about dealing with food allergies having cooked that way since 2001 after her son, Lennon, was as diagnosed with severe dairy and soy allergies.

You can find more about her on her website cybelepascal.com.

Cybele has great taste and style, which is why I fell in love with her Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking cookbook when she sent to me years ago.

I still love dipping into it to find ideas for what to make for dinner. I regularly make her recipe for Garam Masala Lamb Chops with Cumin Quinoa, which my family loves.

To quote my daughter, Lucie, “I really don’t like quinoa, Mom. But this is so good!”

Like the recipe for easy chicken paella, most of the recipes in Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking aren’t complicated and fussy, and rarely contain hard-to-find ingredients.

I do love that Cybele has recipes for ethnic foods, such as Sopa de Lima, as well as classic family favorites like Chicken Noodle Casserole.

In addition, she has great tips for those new to allergy-free cooking, like how to stock your pantry and what kitchen equipment you’ll need.

Allergy-Free and Easy Cook is a terrific cookbook for beginners as well as seasoned cooks who need to eliminate allergens in their kitchens.

Closeup of a bowl of chicken and sausage paella on a woven mat.

Tips to make the best chicken paella recipe

Broth: If you’re gluten free, make sure you’re using a gluten free low-sodium chicken broth for your Chicken and Sausage Paella recipe.

Sausage: When choosing the sausage for this paella recipe, make sure to check the label for any ingredients you may be allergic to. Don’t assume that there isn’t gluten, dairy, or nuts in the sausage.

Food chopper: If you’re doing a lot of vegetable chopping, especially of onions, I prefer to use a food chopper over a knife.

One of the best food choppers is the Vremi Food Chopper, which is very similar to the Pampered Chef Food chopper I use. (And half the price!)

Yield: 6 SERVINGS

Chicken and Sausage Paella Recipe

Chicken and Sausage Paella Recipe

This easy chicken paella recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner. This quick chicken paella dish with quinoa will become a family favorite.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup long-grain basmati rice
  • 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 pound chicken tenders, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
  • 3/8 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 8 ounces chorizo, andouille, linguica, or kielbasa, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
  • 1/4 teaspoon saffron, crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 3/4 cup frozen peas
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

Instructions

  1. Combine the rice with 1 1/4 cups of the chicken broth in a microwave-safe container. Cover and microwave for 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, sprinkle the chicken tenders with the paprika and some salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large heavy pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until starting to shimmer. Add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes per side, until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
  3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Add the onion and sausage and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the bell pepper, garlic, saffron, oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more.
  4. Add the remaining 1 cup chicken broth, bring to a boil, and deglaze the pan by scraping up any browned bits along the bottom, 1 minute or so.
  5. Stir in the tomatoes, partly cooked rice, and chicken, bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, loosely covered, for 8 minutes more or until the liquid is absorbed.
  6. Add the peas and heat through for 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, toss with the parsley, and serve hot, sprinkled with a little more parsley.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 833Total Fat: 59gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 38gCholesterol: 125mgSodium: 2074mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 4gSugar: 7gProtein: 39g

Nutritional information is automatically calculated per the ingredients list. Serving size may not be accurate. Please double-check with your preferred nutritional app for the most accurate information.

Originally published on January 11, 2013. Updated with new pictures and information.

Picture and recipe used with permission.

Reprinted with permission from Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking: 30-Minute Meals Without Gluten, Wheat, Dairy, Eggs, Soy, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Fish, Shellfish, and Sesame by Cybele Pascal, copyright © 2012.

Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group. Photo credit: Chugrad McAndrews.

2 thoughts on “Chicken and Sausage Paella Recipe

  1. Linda

    This recipe is really good. But am I missing something? In the introductory comments, you mention this paella with quinoa. I’ve never heard of paella with quinoa and I didn’t see it listed in the recipe.

    Reply

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