Adding a flavour-tastic twist to your week-night meals has never been easier than a good Chicken Paella recipe: a favourite amongst the human and dog world alike. At Tilly and Ted, we think your pet deserves a seat at the table, and as such, all our pet foods are designed after dishes you could enjoy alongside your furry friend. They're so tantalisingly tasty, that you could (almost) eat them too. 

Although we wouldn’t recommend eating your dog’s food at the best of times, there’s nothing to make your pet feel part of the family than sharing a meal all together. Take a look at the mouth-watering recipe below for a powerful and delicious Chicken Paella: best enjoyed alongside your waggy bestie whilst they tuck into our new Chicken Paella pup recipe, designed with their enjoyment and health at its core.

Feeling peckish? Let's go!

Paella History

Paella has been a staple Spanish dish for years, and a go-to for anyone wanting a fresh and flavourful meal that remains hearty and simple. Valencia is the undisputed home of paella, originating roughly in the mid 19th century, from the abundance of rice produced in this region. It was the hard-working farmers that created this dish, utilising their main export, rice, as well as easy-to-harvest vegetables and beans, and snails, due to them being easy to find and cook. Later on, rabbit and chicken was often incorporated for special occasions, and it was only in recent years that the popular addition of seafood was incorporated, contrasting its much more humble roots.

For our Chicken Paella recipe, we wanted your special canine to enjoy the best of the best, so decided to go with the classic addition of chicken, as opposed to its snailly origins. Chicken is a fantastic protein source for pups, promoting easy digestion and energising zing (psst...check out our recent post on our top 10 doggy superfoods, for more information on the health benefits of our meals).

This (human) recipe below uses chicken as well, just like our Chicken Paella dog food. It’s packed with essential vitamins and a tasty kick - hopefully leaving you with a shiny coat and happy tummy, just like your pup.

Ingredients 

1 red onion, roughly chopped

2 red peppers, thinly sliced

2 cloves of garlic, grated

6 skinned and boneless chicken thighs

150g chorizo, thickly sliced into 1cm rounds

2 tbsp olive oil

4 generous pinches of good saffron

250g paella rice

600ml hot chicken stock

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and Pepper

Handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

1) Set your oven to 180C fan.

2) Spread the onion, peppers, garlic, chicken thighs, chorizo, and olive oil into one layer across a large roasting tin or a casserole dish. Transfer to the oven and roast for 25 minutes.

3) While this is cooking, let the saffron strands bathe in a couple of tablespoons of boiling water before setting aside.

4) Turn down the oven to 160C fan, before removing the tin from the oven and stirring through the paella rice, hot chicken stock, and steeped saffron, including the saffron water. Cover tightly with foil or the lid, and return the dish to the oven for 60 minutes, or until the rice is cooked through.

5) Once the paella is cooked, add a dash more hot chicken stock or boiling water to loosen if needed, squeeze over the lemon juice, and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve hot, scattered with parsley and lemon wedges.

Now your treat is ready to eat! If you've enjoyed this deliciously zingy meal, try one of our other recipes matched to our paw-some pet meals, such as our lovely Lamb Kebab or fantastic Fisherman's Pie.

And something for your pet… 

Why not give your pet a seat at the table, and let your paw-fect pal enjoy a delicious Chicken Paella alongside you? Our yummy pet recipe is designed to delight your canine's taste buds. Made with 60% chicken, carrot, seaweed, and chicory root extract, this luxurious collection of ingredients makes for a comforting meal for your pooch. If your pup prefers fishier dishes however, we highly recommend our Fisherman's Pie or Salmon Traybake for fish based meals that are just as hearty and scrummy.

Everything we include in our Tilly & Ted recipes has an important role to play. Our recipes are bursting with goodness and developed with purposeful nutrition, where every ingredient matters to make delicious and nutritious dishes for your furry friend. All our meals are 100% complete and balanced to ensure your pet gets everything it needs. Grubs up!