A bit of chicken, a handful of prawns, some leftover vegetables and a bag of rice. That’s often all you need for a lovely family dinner.
This is my paella-inspired Bitsa rice, rather than a traditional Spanish paella. We’re borrowing the idea of rice cooked in a flavourful stock, then making it work with whatever is available.
Chicken, seafood, sausages, beans or just vegetables — they’re all welcome.
Serves: 4–6
Prep: 10–15 minutes
Cook: 30–40 minutes
Ingredients — The Easy Version
- 300 g medium-grain rice or paella rice
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 capsicum, diced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp turmeric (optional, for colour)
- 1 × 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- 750–900 ml chicken or vegetable stock, depending on the rice
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Salt and black pepper
- Fresh parsley, if available
Choose your protein (optional):
- 300–400 g diced chicken
- 2–3 sausages, sliced
- 300 g raw peeled prawns
- 300 g firm white fish, cut into chunks
- 1 × 400 g tin chickpeas or butter beans, drained
- Leftover cooked chicken or pork
You can combine smaller quantities of several proteins. Just adjust when you add each one.
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large, wide frying pan.
- If using raw chicken or sausages, cook them first until lightly browned. Remove to a plate. They will finish cooking with the rice.
- Add the onion and capsicum to the pan and cook for 4–5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika and turmeric.
- Add the rice and stir briefly to coat it in the flavoured oil.
- Pour in the chopped tomatoes and 750 ml of stock. Stir once to distribute everything evenly.
- Return the browned chicken or sausages to the pan.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat. Cook uncovered for approximately 18–25 minutes, adding a little more hot stock if needed. Avoid stirring repeatedly.
- Add the peas during the final 5 minutes.
- If using raw prawns or fish, nestle them into the rice during the final 5–8 minutes, allowing enough time to cook through.
- If using tinned beans or leftover cooked meat, add them towards the end and heat thoroughly.
- Once the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, remove from the heat, cover and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Chicken should reach 75°C in the centre. Fish should be opaque and cooked through, and prawns should be opaque and firm.
The Garden Version
Use whatever is growing well:
- Fresh tomatoes instead of tinned
- Courgette
- Green beans
- Peas
- Capsicum
- Fresh parsley
- Spring onions
- A handful of leafy greens
Add firmer vegetables early and delicate greens towards the end.
The Bitsa Version
This is where the recipe really earns its name.
No chicken? Use sausages, prawns, fish, beans or leftover roast meat.
No capsicum? Try courgette, carrots, mushrooms or green beans.
No peas? Use sweetcorn, chopped beans or another vegetable.
No tinned tomatoes? Use chopped fresh tomatoes and adjust the stock.
No paella rice? Medium-grain rice works well. Long-grain rice can also work, although the texture and liquid requirements will be different. Follow the packet as a guide.
Only got cooked rice? Make a quick paella-inspired fried rice instead. Cook the vegetables and protein first, add the paprika and tomatoes, reduce any excess liquid, then stir through cold, properly refrigerated cooked rice and heat until steaming hot. Don’t follow the raw-rice method.
What Could I Add?
- Extra chickpeas or butter beans
- A handful of spinach
- Smoked trout added at the end
- Fresh herbs
- Leftover roasted vegetables
- A pinch of chilli
Make the Next Meal Easier
Keep frozen peas, rice, stock and tinned tomatoes in the pantry or freezer. With those basics, you’re already halfway to dinner.
Refrigerate leftover rice promptly, ideally within an hour, and use within 24 hours or freeze promptly. Reheat once until steaming hot throughout.
Mrs E Tip: This isn’t about making an authentic paella. It’s about making a good dinner without buying six ingredients you don’t have. Sometimes a bit of this and a bit of that is exactly enough.