Paella originated in Valencia, but you don’t have to travel to that Spanish city to taste this popular dish. Here’s a recipe from a local paella expert for classic Valencian paella with chicken and rabbit.
Rice has been cultivated in the Albufera wetlands since the eighth century, when the Moors introduced rice cultivation to Valencia. The La Huerta area—known as Valencia’s kitchen garden—remains the center of rice cultivation and is what Valencians consider the essence of their identity.
Paella originated in the 15th and 16th centuries, when local farmers had a tradition of gathering to cook rice dishes over an open fire.
Today, every restaurant and family has its own version of paella. According to many, including paella chef Rafael from Mi paella en el Huerto, an authentic paella consists of rice, chicken, rabbit, and beans. Some also add snails. 
The traditional paella, for which you’ll find Rafael’s recipe, contains precisely these ingredients because they were the produce that farmers could find right outside their homes. Paella is cooked outdoors over an open fire.
If you’re not a fan of rabbit, you can easily make this dish with chicken instead. Just double the amount of chicken.
Recipe for Valencian Paella with Chicken and Rabbit
Ingredients for 4 people
A paella pan with a diameter of 42–46 cm. A gas burner.
- 400 g Bomba rice (or short-grain rice)
- 500 g diced chicken (50-60 g)
- 500 g rabbit cut into cubes (50-60 g)
- 200 g horse beans
- 200 g flat green string beans
- 150 g white lima beans (like the local black garrofón)
- 2 medium peeled tomatoes
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- a few saffron threads
- 120 ml soft flavoured virgin olive oil
- 1 fresh sprig rosemary
- 4-5 parts water to 1 part rice
How to make Valencian paella with chicken and rabbit
1. Pour olive oil into the center of the paella pan, then turn on the heat.
2. Brown and cook the chicken and rabbit thoroughly.
3. Arrange the meat around the edge of the paella pan and add the beans. Sauté the beans until they are golden.
4. Move the vegetables to the side of the pan and add the peeled tomatoes. The tomatoes are done when the water has evaporated.
5. Add the paprika, stir quickly to toast it, and add the water.
6. Add the saffron, rosemary, and a little salt, and let the dish simmer for 20–25 minutes.
7. Taste the dish before adding the rice, and add more salt if needed. It’s okay if it tastes a little salty, as the rice will make the paella taste less salty.
8. Add the rice in a straight line across the paella pan, dividing the paella into two sections. You should be able to see the tops of the rice grains just above the water. If you can see too much rice, add more water.
9. Stir the paella to ensure all the ingredients are well distributed. Let the rice cook in the dish for 10 minutes.
10. Adjust the heat up or down, and let the dish simmer for another seven minutes. The rice should be dry after 17 minutes.
11. Now the rice at the bottom needs to become crispy. Turn the heat up high for 2 minutes, then turn it off before the rice burns.
12. Let the paella rest for two minutes before serving.
You might want to try Rafael’s sangria with the paella. It goes really well with the dish.
You can take part in a paella workshop with Rafael at Mi paella en el Huerto. Learn more about the paella workshop.
