Pork and Chicken Paella Verde

This mouthwatering Pork and Chicken Paella Verde is one of my favorites when I want something hearty and delicious.

It takes about 1 hour and 35 minutes to prepare, and I love how the flavors pop—especially with the charred tomatillos and the savory taste of chorizo.

To make it extra special, I like to garnish it with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime zest. It’s simple, fun, and always makes me feel like I’m treating myself to a Spanish-inspired feast.

Recipe Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husked and washed
• 6 poblano peppers, roasted and peeled
• 2 serrano chiles, stemmed
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning
• 1 1/2 pounds St. Louis pork ribs, cut into individual ribs
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 8 ounces Spanish chorizo, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 sweet onion, finely chopped (2 cups)
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 3 cups bomba rice or other short grain rice, uncooked
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 limes, zested
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves chopped

How To Make Pork and Chicken Paella Verde

1. Preheat Your Grill: Fire up your grill to get it nice and hot for the next steps.
2. Prep the Vegetables: Place the tomatillos, poblanos, and serrano chiles on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a bit of oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Char the Vegetables: Put the tomatillos, poblanos, and serranos directly over the open flames. Cook until the skins are nicely charred, flipping occasionally, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
4. Steam the Poblanos and Serranos: Transfer them to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let steam for a few minutes.
5. Process the Tomatillos: Add the tomatillos to a food processor and set them aside for now.
6. Peel and Chop: Peel off the charred skins from the poblanos and serranos. Remove the stems and seeds, then chop them roughly.
7. Make the Verde Sauce: Add the chopped poblanos and serranos to the food processor with the tomatillos. Puree until smooth, about 2 minutes. Set this sauce aside for later.
8. Preheat Your Oven: Set your oven to 300°F to get it ready for cooking.
9. Prep the Meat: Trim any excess fat from the pork ribs and cut the chicken thighs into large, bite-sized cubes, about 1 1/2 inches each.
10. Season the Meat: Sprinkle the pork and chicken with salt, cumin, and pepper.
11. Cook the Chorizo: Heat a paella pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining oil and cook the chorizo until crispy, rendering the fat. Remove the chorizo and set it aside.
12. Brown the Meat: Add the pork ribs and chicken thighs to the pan. Cook until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer the browned meat to a baking sheet with the chorizo.
13. Soften the Onions and Peppers: Add the onions and red bell peppers to the pan. Sauté until the onions are translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes.
14. Cook the Rice: Add the rice and garlic to the pan, stirring to coat the rice with oil. Cook until the rice smells nutty, about 5 to 6 minutes.
15. Add Liquid and Mix: Pour in half of the broth and half of the verde sauce. Stir everything together and spread the rice evenly in the pan.
16. Combine Everything: Return the chicken, pork, and chorizo to the pan. Cook until the broth is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining broth, cover with foil, and transfer to the oven. Cook until the rice is al dente, about 20 to 25 minutes.
17. Finish and Serve: Remove the foil, dollop the remaining verde sauce over the top, and sprinkle with lime zest and chopped cilantro. Serve it up and enjoy!

Recipe Tips

• Rice Selection: Use Bomba or Calasparra rice for optimal absorption and texture. These short-grain varieties are ideal for paella.
• Protein Browning: Brown pork and chicken thoroughly before adding rice; this enhances flavor and texture.
• Saffron Preparation: Toast saffron threads lightly and steep in warm water before adding for deeper color and aroma.
• Cooking Liquid: Use high-quality chicken broth instead of water for added depth of flavor.
• Resting Time: Let paella rest 5 minutes off heat before serving to allow flavors to meld and rice to set.

Check out More Recipes:

• Andouille-Crusted Rock Shrimp
• Poblano Pineapple Picante
• Apple Mashed Potatoes

Pork and Chicken Paella Verde

Recipe by Mohamed ShiliCourse: DinnerCuisine: SpanishDifficulty: Medium

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

3

hours 

Calories

140

kcal

This mouthwatering Pork and Chicken Paella Verde is one of my favorites when I want something hearty and delicious. It takes about 1 hour and 35 minutes to prepare, and I love how the flavors pop—especially with the charred tomatillos and the savory taste of chorizo. To make it extra special, I like to garnish it with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime zest. It’s simple, fun, and always makes me feel like I’m treating myself to a Spanish-inspired feast.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husked and washed
  

• 6 poblano peppers, roasted and peeled
  

• 2 serrano chiles, stemmed
  

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning
  

• 1 1/2 pounds St. Louis pork ribs, cut into individual ribs
  

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
  

• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  

• 8 ounces Spanish chorizo, cut into 1/2-inch dice
  

• 1 sweet onion, finely chopped (2 cups)
  

• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
  

• 3 cups bomba rice or other short grain rice, uncooked
  

• 4 cloves garlic, minced
  

• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  

• 2 limes, zested
  

• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves chopped
  

Directions

• Preheat Your Grill: Fire up your grill to get it nice and hot for the next steps.
  
• Prep the Vegetables: Place the tomatillos, poblanos, and serrano chiles on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a bit of oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  
• Char the Vegetables: Put the tomatillos, poblanos, and serranos directly over the open flames. Cook until the skins are nicely charred, flipping occasionally, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
  
• Steam the Poblanos and Serranos: Transfer them to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let steam for a few minutes.
  
• Process the Tomatillos: Add the tomatillos to a food processor and set them aside for now.
  
• Peel and Chop: Peel off the charred skins from the poblanos and serranos. Remove the stems and seeds, then chop them roughly.
  
• Make the Verde Sauce: Add the chopped poblanos and serranos to the food processor with the tomatillos. Puree until smooth, about 2 minutes. Set this sauce aside for later.
  
• Preheat Your Oven: Set your oven to 300°F to get it ready for cooking.
  
• Prep the Meat: Trim any excess fat from the pork ribs and cut the chicken thighs into large, bite-sized cubes, about 1 1/2 inches each.
  
• Season the Meat: Sprinkle the pork and chicken with salt, cumin, and pepper.
  
• Cook the Chorizo: Heat a paella pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining oil and cook the chorizo until crispy, rendering the fat. Remove the chorizo and set it aside.
  
• Brown the Meat: Add the pork ribs and chicken thighs to the pan. Cook until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer the browned meat to a baking sheet with the chorizo.
  
• Soften the Onions and Peppers: Add the onions and red bell peppers to the pan. Sauté until the onions are translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes.
  
• Cook the Rice: Add the rice and garlic to the pan, stirring to coat the rice with oil. Cook until the rice smells nutty, about 5 to 6 minutes.
  
• Add Liquid and Mix: Pour in half of the broth and half of the verde sauce. Stir everything together and spread the rice evenly in the pan.
  
• Combine Everything: Return the chicken, pork, and chorizo to the pan. Cook until the broth is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining broth, cover with foil, and transfer to the oven. Cook until the rice is al dente, about 20 to 25 minutes.
  
• Finish and Serve: Remove the foil, dollop the remaining verde sauce over the top, and sprinkle with lime zest and chopped cilantro. Serve it up and enjoy!