Seafood Paella Recipe (On the Grill)

This fragrant classic seafood paella recipe has sautéed onions and Spanish Chorizo with an aromatic saffron infused rice with seafood, all cooked on the grill. This one pot meal is amazing and is great for a small group of people.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 pinch saffron
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ cups finely diced red onion ((one medium onion))
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 8 ounces *Spanish Chorizo, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained of excess liquid
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
• 1 tablespoon seafood seasoning ((Use ½ tablespoon for cod, and ½ tablespoon for shrimp. Season the seafood prior to cooking.))
• 1 pound mussels ((Remove the beards and clean the shells of barnacles. Also soak them for 15 minutes in water.))
• 1 pound 16/20 count shrimp, seasoned
• 1 pound cod (or other white fish), deboned and seasoned ((We used Ling Cod))
• 1 lemon, sliced in half along the hemisphere
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Preheat Grill - Prepare the grill for two-zone or indirect cooking. The indirect cooking prevents scorching the pan while you are simmering the rice. Place an empty large shallow pan (or paella pan) on the grill over indirect heat to warm up so it’s nice and warm when you are ready to start cooking.
2. 2Infuse Stock and Saffron: Infuse Saffron - In a separate, medium-size sauce pan, bring the stock to a low simmer. Add the saffron, stir, and turn off heat. Continue to stir the saffron with the stock every few minutes before adding it to the rice. This allows the saffron to infuse the flavor and color into the stock.
3. 3Sauté Vegetables - When the grill is at temperature add the butter, olive oil, onions, and peppers to the large pre-heated pan. Stir every few minutes, closing the lid of the grill between stirring. Stir to soften for about 10 minutes.
4. 4Par Grill Cod: Grill Cod - Add the seasoned cod to the grill grates at any point, outside the pot (you can also add lemons, directly to the grill grates, for grilled lemon garnish). The goal is to par cook the fish for some grill flavor prior to steaming them.
5. 5Add Garlic and Chorizo - Add the garlic and chorizo chunks and stir to heat up, stirring, for about 2-4 minutes. The paprika and fat from the chorizo will add color and flavor. Next, add the rice.
6. 6Add Rice and Stock: Add Stock - Stir rice for two minutes to incorporate the flavor and slightly toast the rice. Then add the saffron infused stock (including the saffron pieces), tomatoes, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Cover grill to bring heat back up. After 10 minutes stir (once), the liquid should be just starting to bubble at this point. Close the lid and let the liquid simmer and incorporate into the rice.
7. 7Add Seafood - After 10 additional minutes of simmering, add the mussels, shrimp, and cooked cod to the top of the rice mixture. If you want a crusty base, do not stir the rice at this point. Just gently pocket the fish into the dish. If you aren’t going for a crusty base, then feel free to stir.
8. 8Steam Seafood: Steam - Cook an additional 5 – 7 minutes until the mussels open up and the shrimp is cooked through.
9. 9Garnish and Serve: Serve - Remove from heat, top with parsley, and serve with a squeeze of grilled lemon.