Beer‑Brined Chicken and Chorizo No‑Rice Paella
Introduction
This Beer‑Brined Chicken and Chorizo No‑Rice Paella is a Spanish‑inspired, one‑pan meal designed for cast iron cooking and relaxed, family‑style serving. Traditional paella techniques are adapted here for a modern kitchen by replacing rice with cauliflower rice, omitting seafood, and finishing the dish in the oven. The result is a bold, colorful skillet meal with smoky chorizo, tender chicken, and a satisfying texture without the heaviness of rice.
This recipe is well suited for feeding a group, especially when cooked in a large skillet and served straight from the pan.
This recipe is a nostalgic, comfort-food chicken pot pie made in a cast iron skillet, inspired by Grandma Kelly’s kitchen. It features tender chicken, vegetables, a creamy beer-infused sauce, and a playful “fly in the pie” twist—chopped olives for a bit of mischief. The story and method celebrate cast iron cooking, family tradition, and a touch of humor.
The Cast Iron
17-inch cast iron skillet
This recipe is best prepared in a 17‑inch cast iron skillet, though a 15‑inch skillet can work with careful ingredient management.
The wide, shallow surface area is important for:
- Even browning of the chicken
- Proper moisture evaporation from the cauliflower rice
- Flattening the final dish for consistent baking
Cast iron also transitions seamlessly from stovetop to oven, making it ideal for paella‑style cooking where multiple heat stages are involved. The heat retention helps maintain steady temperatures throughout the bake and provides a strong foundation for finishing the dish under the broiler.
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The Supplies Needed for the Recipe
Before starting, gather the following equipment:
- 17‑inch cast iron skillet (15‑inch minimum)
- Oven and stovetop burner
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Small saucepan (for beer brine)
- Mixing bowl or large container (for brining chicken)
- Wooden spoon or heat‑safe spatula
- Measuring spoons
- Meat thermometer
Having everything prepared ahead of time helps keep the cooking process smooth, especially when working with a large, hot skillet.
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The Ingredients Lists
Beer Brine (Optional)
- 1 (12‑oz) can beer
- 4 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Protein
- 3 lb chicken breast, tenderized and cut into bite‑size pieces
- 1 lb chorizo sausage, sliced
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 2–3 bell peppers, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 6–8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1–3 leeks, chopped
- 2–3 tomatoes, chopped and well‑drained
- 20 oz cauliflower rice
- 10 oz peas (frozen or fresh)
- ¼–½ cup parsley, chopped
Seasoning and Cooking Fat
- ½–1 teaspoon saffron, crushed
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Oil or butter, as needed
Optional Finish
- Grated cheese, lightly sprinkled before broiling
Ready to Cook
Steps and Instructions
Begin by preparing the chicken. If using the beer brine, gently warm the beer, salt, rosemary, and oregano until steaming. Allow it to cool completely before adding the chicken. Brine for 30–120 minutes, then drain thoroughly.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the cast iron skillet over medium‑high heat and coat the bottom lightly with oil or butter.
Brown the chicken in batches until lightly golden and almost cooked through. Remove and set aside.
Sauté the onion and garlic in the same skillet until the onion turns translucent. Push the mixture to one side of the pan.
Gradually add the cauliflower rice to the open side of the skillet. Allow it to steam briefly, then spread and stir until excess moisture evaporates and the texture resembles cooked rice.
Add the bell peppers and sauté until softened, followed by the leeks. Cook until the darker green parts become tender and deep in color.
Return the chicken to the skillet along with the chorizo, tomatoes, peas, saffron, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly, then flatten the surface evenly.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 25–35 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F and the center is hot throughout.
For the finish, switch the oven to broil, sprinkle lightly with cheese, and broil briefly until golden. Watch closely. Rest the dish for 5 minutes before serving.
Summary
This Beer‑Brined Chicken and Chorizo No‑Rice Paella is a practical, cast‑iron‑friendly take on a classic cooking style. Designed for a large skillet and shared straight from the pan, it balances bold flavor with a lighter, lower‑carb approach.
Served family‑style, it comfortably feeds 6–8 people and showcases how cast iron excels at building layered flavor through browning, oven baking, and high‑heat finishing. It’s not traditional paella — but it is intentional, satisfying, and well suited to real‑world kitchens.
Website: https://beerandiron.com/
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ironrecipes/
Beer-Brined Chicken and Chorizo No-Rice Paella
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a small saucepan, combine beer, salt, rosemary, and oregano.
- Heat gently until steaming; do not boil.
- Cool to room temperature (or add ice to cool).
- Pour over chicken and brine for 60 minutes.
- Remove and Drain well before cooking (pat dry with paper towels).
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Heat a 15–17 inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add enough oil or butter to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.
- Add chicken in batches.
- Brown until almost cooked through, but not dry.
- Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Add more fat if needed.
- Sauté onion and garlic until onions are translucent.
- Push mixture to one side of the skillet.
- Dry Out the Cauliflower Rice
- Add cauliflower rice gradually to the open side of the pan.
- Let it steam briefly, then stir and spread it out.
- Cook until excess moisture evaporates and texture resembles cooked rice.
- Push cauliflower rice aside with onions and garlic.
- Add chopped bell peppers and sauté until softened.
- Add leeks and cook until darker greens turn deep green and tender.
- Add chorizo, chicken, tomatoes, peas, saffron, salt, and pepper.
- Mix thoroughly.
- Flatten mixture evenly across the skillet.
- Transfer skillet to the oven.
- Bake for 25–35 minutes, until chicken reaches 165°F and center is 170–190°F.
- Remove skillet and switch oven to broil.
- Sprinkle lightly with cheese.
- Add parsley now if desired, or after broiling for brighter color.
- Broil 1–3 minutes, watching closely until cheese is toasted.
- Let rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve hot, straight from the skillet.
Notes
– Drying out the cauliflower rice is critical. Cauliflower retains a lot of moisture and skipping this step can lead to a soggy final dish.
– Drain fresh or canned tomatoes well before adding them to avoid excess liquid.
– Watch closely during broiling. Cheese can go from golden to burned in under a minute.
– This recipe is “paella-like” rather than traditional. Rice is replaced with cauliflower rice and seafood is intentionally omitted.
– Let the skillet rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow everything to settle and firm up.
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