Omar Allibhoy’s chicken, pear and smoked bacon paella recipe

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Omar Allibhoy’s chicken, pear and smoked bacon paella recipe

This chicken, pear and smoked bacon rice dish may differ from traditional paella, but the end result proves that sometimes it’s well worth deviating from the classics.

The recipe was developed by chef and best-selling author Omar Allibhoy for his latest cookbook, Paella: The Original One-Pan Dish, where he showcases the versatility of one of Spain’s most beloved dishes.

While many Spaniards are passionate about maintaining the authenticity of paella, particularly paella Valenciana (the classic paella made with rabbit and chicken), for Omar, the possibilities are endless when it comes to this dish. “My advice is: if something tastes good as it is, then you can make it work in a paella,” he explains. The Spanish chef admits he went a little wild with this recipe and loved the results – and we think you will too.  Buttery, caramelised pears add a sweetness that works brilliantly with the salty bacon and succulent chicken.

Things to note:

The key to making a fantastic paella is using a flavourful stock. Omar shares his recipe for roasted chicken stock below, which makes about 2.5 litres (87 fl oz) and takes approximately 3 hours to cook. Alternatively, you can use a high-quality, shop-bought stock.

You can cook this recipe in a large frying pan (skillet) if you don’t have a paellera. However, ensure it is big enough to fit all the ingredients, as the rice will swell and grow as it cooks.

For US ingredients and measurements, use the drop-down menu and select ‘Cups’.

Ingredients

For the pears:
  • 2 pears, peeled, cored and halved
  • 1 large knob of unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp caster sugar
  • 2 pears, peeled, cored and halved
  • 1 large knob of unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp caster sugar
  • 2 pears, peeled, cored and halved
  • 1 large knob of unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp superfine sugar
For the paella:
  • 1 l roasted chicken stock
  • 0.5 tsp saffron
  • 90 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 chicken thighs on the bone, skin on
  • 100 g smoked bacon lardons
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
  • 1 tomato, grated
  • 330 g Spanish paella rice
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1.8 pints roasted chicken stock
  • 0.5 tsp saffron
  • 3.2 fl oz extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 chicken thighs on the bone, skin on
  • 3.5 oz smoked bacon lardons
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
  • 1 tomato, grated
  • 11.6 oz Spanish paella rice
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper, to taste
  • 4.2 cups roasted chicken stock
  • 0.5 tsp saffron
  • 0.4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 chicken thighs on the bone, skin on
  • 3.5 oz smoked bacon lardons
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
  • 1 tomato, grated
  • 11.6 oz Spanish paella rice
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper, to taste
For the roasted chicken stock (if using):
  • 1 Spanish onion, thickly sliced
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
  • 1 tomato, cut into wedges
  • 5 garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • 1 chicken carcass, plus wings
  • 1 drizzle olive oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 clove
  • 4 black peppercorns
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 1 x 25ml shot brandy (optional)
  • 3 l water
  • 1 Spanish onion, thickly sliced
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
  • 1 tomato, cut into wedges
  • 5 garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • 1 chicken carcass, plus wings
  • 1 drizzle olive oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 clove
  • 4 black peppercorns
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 1 x 25ml shot brandy (optional)
  • 5.3 pints water
  • 1 Spanish onion, thickly sliced
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
  • 1 tomato, cut into wedges
  • 5 garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • 1 chicken carcass, plus wings
  • 1 drizzle olive oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 clove
  • 4 black peppercorns
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 1 x ¾ fl oz shot brandy (optional)
  • 12.7 cups water

Details

  • Cuisine: Spanish
  • Recipe Type: Rice
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Preparation Time: 30 mins
  • Cooking Time: 45 mins
  • Serves: 4

Step-by-step

  1. Start by caramelising the pears. Melt the butter in a large frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat. Add the pears and cook for about 3 minutes on each side. Sprinkle over the sugar and continue to cook over a high heat for a few minutes more, flipping the pears from time to time, until they turn a golden, caramelised colour. Set aside for later.
  2. Heat the chicken stock in a saucepan over the lowest heat and crumble in the saffron.
  3. Set a paella pan with the olive oil over a medium heat and add the chicken, skin side down first. Fry for about 5 minutes on each side.
  4. Add the bacon and fry for a further 5 minutes, until both chicken and bacon are a roasted, golden colour.
  5. Add the garlic and the paprika, followed by the grated tomato and cook for 2 minutes, until the oil starts separating from the tomato paste.
  6. Tip in the rice and cook, stirring constantly, for a couple of minutes, making sure the rice is well coated with the oil.
  7. Add the hot stock to the pan and give it a good stir to distribute evenly. Taste the stock and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Cook over a high heat for 10 minutes, then add the pears and the rosemary sprig. Continue to cook over a medium-low heat for the final 9 minutes or so, without stirring.
  8. Leave the paella to rest off the heat for 5 minutes before serving.

For the roasted chicken stock:

  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/gas mark 7. Put the onion, carrots, celery, tomato and garlic in a large roasting pan. Add the chicken pieces on top and drizzle with oil, then roast in the oven for about 45 minutes or until dark brown, stirring every 15 minutes. Transfer all the ingredients from the pan to a stockpot. Set the empty roasting pan over a high heat and deglaze with a splash of water, scraping up all the charred bits with a metal spoon. Pour this into the stockpot.
  2. Add all the remaining ingredients to the stockpot and bring to a boil over a high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer with the lid on for about 2 hours.
  3. Strain the stock into a clean container. Some fat will float to the top of the stock once it’s cool – you can remove this easily with a spoon. Once cool, you can keep the stock in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Recipe adapted from Paella: The Original One-Pan Dish: Over 50 Recipes for the Spanish Classic by Omar Allibhoy (£18, Quadrille). Photography by Facundo Bustamante.

PAELLA The Original One-Pan Dish: Over 50 Recipes for the Spanish Classic by Omar Allibhoy
Paella: The Original One-Pan Dish: Over 50 Recipes for the Spanish Classic by Omar Allibhoy

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