Name: Quinoa Chicken and Seafood Paella
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 lb large shrimp ((peeled and deveined)); 1 lb scallops; 1/2 lb mussels; 2 chicken breasts; 1 1/2 cup quinoa ((uncooked)); 2 cups chicken broth; 1 red bell pepper; 1 cup frozen peas; 1 medium yellow onion; 3 plum tomatoes; 5 garlic cloves; 2 tsp saffron; 1 tsp paprika; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp pink sea salt; 5 tbsp olive oil ((divided)); 2-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice ((about 1 lemon)); lemon wedges for garnish; fresh parsley for garnish; pink salt and pepper to taste for seafood and chicken

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This Quinoa Chicken and Seafood Paella brings a twist to the traditional Spanish dish. Using quinoa instead of rice adds so much nutritional value while not compromising the authentic flavors in Paella we all love. Made with fresh saffron, seafood, chicken, veggies and more. Perfect summer meal to enjoy with family and friends!

Quinoa Chicken and Seafood Paella

A couple of weeks ago we had a wonderful family beach day at our favorite beach. I’ve actually been going to this beach since I was a kid. Every time we make a visit I have to stop by a local fish market that’s right next to it. Love buying fresh seafood from this fish market. A lot of their fish and seafood has been caught the same day!

Whenever I buy seafood from this market my go to meals are either lobster or paella. Paella is one of my all time favorite dishes. I love seafood and Paella is one of the most delicious ways to enjoy it in my opinion. I also love cooking Paella and love getting creative with it. Like using quinoa in substitution for rice.

This Quinoa Chicken and Seafood Paella uses fresh ingredients and authentic flavors. Using fresh seafood and saffron are the key to making a successful and delicious Paella. The quinoa gives this dish the added nutritional value to make it the perfect filling and healthy meal.

It’s perfect for a summer Sunday dinner to enjoy with your family outside while creating endless memories. Give this recipe a try and I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Ingredients Quinoa Chicken and Seafood Paella:

Seafood– Shrimp, Scallops, Mussels (use fresh if possible).
Chicken Breasts– You can also use chicken thighs.
Quinoa– Any kind of quinoa can be used; white, red, or multi-colored.
Chicken Broth
Vegetables– Red Bell Pepper, Frozen Peas, Yellow Onion, Tomatoes
Spices and Herbs– Garlic, Spanish Saffron, Paprika, Ground Turmeric, Pink Salt, Black Pepper
Olive Oil– For cooking.
Lemon Juice– Elevates flavor.
To Garnish– Lemon Wedges and Fresh Parsley

Equipment Quinoa Chicken and Seafood Paella:

Paella Pan– Use a large paella pan.
Large Mixing Bowls– For prepping ingredients.

How to make Quinoa Chicken and Seafood Paella:

Prep Ingredients:

Clams in a glass bowl of salted water in kitchen sink.

Rinsed clams in strainer placed in kitchen sink.

Mussels in a glass bowl of salted water placed in kitchen sink.

Rinsed mussels strainer placed in kitchen sink.

Step 1– Prep seafood by peeling and deveining shrimp, rinse and scrub mussels. Pat dry chicken breasts and scallops. Cut chicken into bite size cubes. Salt and pepper shrimp, scallops and chicken to taste.

Rubbing saffron strings between fingers over a small glass bowl placed on a white countertop.

Spices in a small glass bowl placed on a white countertop.

Step 2– Remove top and insides of red bell peppers and julienne bell pepper. Dice tomatoes and onion and mince garlic cloves. Squeeze lemon juice, measure out spices. Rub together saffron strings with your thumb and index finger to get the flavors to be released. Set all prepped ingredients to the side.

Start Cooking Ingredients:

Chicken pieces browning on a paella pan over stovetop.

Cooking shrimp on paella pan over stovetop.

Step 1– Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to paella pan and heat-up on medium-high heat. Add cubed chicken and stir fry until it’s cooked through and reaches golden-brown color on the outside. About 7-8 minutes. Remove cooked chicken from pan and set aside.
Step 2– Clean paella pan with a damped paper towel and add another tablespoon olive oil and bring to a heat on medium-high. Place shrimp on heated pan spacing them apart throughout the pan. You may have to cook in batches depending on how big your pan is. Cook shrimp for 1-2 minutes. Flip over and cook for another 1-2 minutes. They’re done when they reach a pink and opaque color. Make sure you don’t overcook shrimp. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside. Cook the other batch if you have one the same way and set aside with the rest of cooked shrimp.

Cooking scallops on paella pan over stovetop.

Step 3– Clean pan again with a damp paper towel and drizzle another tablespoon olive oil and bring to a heat on medium-high. Place scallops on heated pan spacing them out throughout the pan. Sear for 1-2 minutes then flip over and sear for another 1-2 minutes again. Remove from pan and set aside.
Step 4– Get rid of any excess juices there may be from scallops. Don’t clean pan however. The flavor from the seared scallops will transfer to the rest of ingredients adding more flavor to the paella.

Cook Quinoa:

Sautéing onions on paella pan over stovetop.

Sautéing onions and bell peppers on paella pan over stovetop.

Added diced tomatoes to other ingredients sautéing on paella pan over stovetop.

Spices sprinkled over the rest of ingredients sautéing on paella pan over stovetop.

Step 1– Drizzle another tablespoon olive oil and sauté onions and garlic for 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat until onions begin to get translucent and you can smell the onion and garlic aroma. Toss in red bell pepper and continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes. Toss diced tomatoes and continue sautéing for another 2 minutes until tomatoes begin to release juices. Stir in all spices; saffron strings, paprika, ground turmeric and pink salt and lemon juice. Stir until spices are well combined with sautéed veggies.

Added quinoa to the rest of ingredients sautéing on paella pan over stovetop.

Sautéing ingredients on paella pan over stovetop.

Broth added to the rest of ingredients on paella pan over stovetop.

Cooked chicken added to quinoa and the rest of ingredients being cooked on paella pan over stovetop.

Step 2– Stir in quinoa and mix with sautéed veggies and spices making sure quinoa is well coated. Pour chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Add cooked chicken and peas and stir into quinoa. Set quinoa with added chicken and peas. At this point, you won’t be stirring quinoa any more.

Fresh parsley sprinkled over ingredients being cooked in paella pan over stovetop.

Frozen peas added to the rest of ingredients being cooked in paella pan over stovetop.

Step 3– Turn heat down to low and cover pan. Allow quinoa to simmer on low for 10 minutes. Remove cover and at this point quinoa should be cooked through for the most part. You can use a fork to fluff quinoa around chicken and peas if you wish.

Cook Paella:

Cooked shrimp added to ingredients being cooked in paella pan over stovetop.

Clams and mussels added to ingredients being cooked in paella pan over stovetop.

Step 1– Add cooked shrimp and scallops to pan over quinoa. Place mussels over quinoa around the other seafood. Cover pan again and allow mussels to steam for 10 minutes on low.

Paella pan covered with aluminum foil over stovetop.

Cooked paella in paella pan over stovetop.

Step 2– Remove cover from pan and discard any mussels that didn’t open. Turn heat off and garnish with lemon wedges and fresh parsley. Serve and enjoy!

Tips and Substitutions for making Quinoa Chicken and Seafood Paella:

Use a paella pan to make your paella- This will give you all the space you need to cook all the ingredients in and will cook the quinoa through.
Rinse your quinoa before cooking- Quinoa has a natural coating called saponin. This gives quinoa a bitter and soapy taste. Rinsing your quinoa will get rid of this coating and will make your paella taste much better.
Rub together saffron strings with your thumb and index finger- This will to the flavors to be released. Don’t skip using saffron. This is what gives paella its authentic flavor.
Don’t clean pan after removing excess liquid from scallops- This will give your paella so much more flavor.
Don’t stir quinoa after you add chicken and peas- You want the quinoa to set on the bottom. This will prevent the quinoa from sticking to the pan and burning. It will actually form a light-crust which is known as socarrat. Trust me, you want that!
Get rid of any mussels that didn’t open- Any mussels that don’t open during cooking means that are not good and you want to discard these.
Substitute for quinoa- You can of course just use rice. Use a long grain rice such as jasmine rice that doesn’t get mushy or clamps up.
Switch up your seafood- Get creative with your seafood and use any variations you may like. Clams, calamari, lobster meat or even lobster tails are great in this paella.
Substitute for parsley- You can use fresh cilantro.
Substitute for chicken broth- Use vegetable stock.

How to serve Quinoa Chicken and Seafood Paella:

This Quinoa Chicken and Seafood Paella is a complete wholesome meal. It doesn’t have to be served with any side dish. I simply like to garnish my paella with fresh parsley and lemon wedges.

Quinoa Chicken and Seafood Paella FAQ’s:

What is seafood paella made of?

Paella is a typical Spanish dish consisting of flavorful ingredients cooked in one large pan. There are different versions of paella but essentially they are made of rice, seafood, chicken, chorizo, variety of veggies and spices, in particular saffron. Paella is one of the most delicious foods you could ever have. Especially if you are a seafood lover!

What spices are used in paella?

Paella uses a combination of spices and herbs to give it it’s tasty flavor. What really gives paella it’s unique taste is saffron. Saffron is a spice that comes from the flower of Crocus sativus. It has the reputation for being the most expensive spice in the world. Saffron can certainly be expensive, but it gives rice such a delicious flavor and vibrant yellow color.

Is paella made with rice or quinoa?

Traditional paella is certainly made with rice. For this specific recipe we use quinoa. It’s a nice twist to the classic Spanish dish. Adds a different texture, provides extra nutrition, while not sacrificing the authentic flavors found in paella we love so much!

Storing and Reheating:

Place any leftover paella in an airtight container. Keep refrigerated for no more than 1-2 days. Reheat in back on stovetop or in the microwave.

Did you like this Quinoa Chicken and Seafood Paella? You may also like these other seafood recipes:

5 from 1 vote

Quinoa Chicken and Seafood Paella

Course Main Course

Cuisine Spanish

Keyword Quinoa Chicken and Seafood Paella

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 517 kcal

Author Angelica Arias

Ingredients

1 lb large shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1 lb scallops
1/2 lb mussels
2 chicken breasts
1 1/2 cup quinoa (uncooked)
2 cups chicken broth
1 red bell pepper
1 cup frozen peas
1 medium yellow onion
3 plum tomatoes
5 garlic cloves
2 tsp saffron
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp pink sea salt
5 tbsp olive oil (divided)
2-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
lemon wedges for garnish
fresh parsley for garnish
pink salt and pepper to taste for seafood and chicken