Chicken and seafood fideuà: the Spanish recipe

I discovered fideuà as a paella… but with pasta. And frankly, it has a crazy charm: the vermicelli absorbs the broth, takes on the saffron hue, and above all, it gets that slightly charred look on the bottom (the famous "socarrat" fideuà version).

When I prepare it, I want two things: good taste (a good broth, an onion-garlic-tomato base) and cooking just right so that the seafood remains tender.

My version of fideuà remains Spanish and very classic: the chicken is seared to build a tasty base, the vermicelli is fried in olive oil to lightly "grill" it, then it is poured over hot broth flavored with saffron and paprika.

Then, let it cook without stirring, like a paella, so that it sets and the bottom caramelizes gently.

For a "seasonal" touch (without betraying the spirit of the dish), I add peas and peppers: it remains Mediterranean, it brings crunch and a sweet note that works great with saffron.

And in terms of nutrition, you have a complete meal: protein (chicken + seafood), carbohydrates (vermicelli), and quite a few marine micronutrients (iodine, selenium, B12).

If you adapt the recipe, focus on two key elements: the quality of the broth (even a simple one, but well-seasoned) and the heat at the end of cooking to achieve that light crispness without burning. That's what elevates fideuà from "good" to "memorable.".

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Chicken and seafood fideuà

Recipe by Nathalie Laplace

5.0 based on 1 vote(s)

Type of dish: main courseKitchen: SpanishDifficulty: average

Parts

4

parts

Preparation time

25

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

760

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

5

minutes

Golden vermicelli noodles, saffron broth, perfectly seared chicken, and just-cooked seafood. A generous fideuà, with that little bit of crispiness at the bottom of the pan that you scrape up at the end.

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Ingredients

• 300g fine vermicelli (fideuà type, or angel hair broken into pieces)

• 300g of boneless chicken thighs (or breast), cut into pieces

• 200g , peeled shrimp (keep the heads if you have them)

• 400g mussels (cleaned)

• 120g of squid (rings) or cuttlefish, in pieces

• 1 medium onion, sliced

• 3 garlic cloves, chopped

• 1 Red bell pepper, sliced

• 120g ) of peas (fresh or frozen

• 2 ripe, grated tomatoes (or 200g of tomato pulp)

• 1 L of very hot fish stock (or fumet)

• 1 dose of saffron (or 1/2 tsp of infused threads)

• 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika

• 1/2 tsp smoked pimentón (optional but very classic)

• 3 tablespoon of olive oil

• 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley

• 1 lemon, in wedges

• Fine salt, pepper

Instructions

• Prepare the broth: heat the fish stock. Add the saffron to infuse and keep it very hot (this is important for even cooking).
• Sear the chicken: In a large paella pan (or a wide sauté pan), heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Season with salt and pepper, then brown the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. It should not be cooked through, just colored. Transfer it to a plate.
• To build the base: reduce the heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon of oil if needed, then sauté the onion for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the bell pepper and cook for 3 minutes.
• Add the tomato and spices: stir in the grated tomato, paprika (and pimentón if using). Let it reduce for 4 to 5 minutes: the tomato should become darker and slightly caramelized, without being liquid.
• Toast the vermicelli: Add the vermicelli to the pan. Stir for 2 minutes to coat them well and lightly brown them. This step gives the fideuà flavor and helps the pasta hold its shape.
• Moisten with broth: Return the chicken to the pan. Pour in about 850ml of hot broth (keep the rest just in case). Distribute the ingredients evenly, then do not stir. Let it cook for 8 minutes over medium heat, gently shaking the pan if necessary to even out the consistency.
• Add the seafood and peas: arrange the squid, then the shrimp and mussels on top. Add the peas. Continue cooking for 6 to 8 minutes: the mussels should open, the shrimp turn pink, and the vermicelli be almost dry but still juicy.
• Adjust the cooking and crispness: if it's too dry before the end, add a little stock (in small ladles). If you want the bottom slightly crispy, turn up the heat for 45 to 60 seconds at the very end, watching carefully: it should sizzle, not smoke.
• Rest and serve: Turn off the heat, cover for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with lemon wedges to be squeezed at the last minute.

📊 Nutritional Information

1 serving (approx. 520g)

* RDA = Recommended Daily Allowance

📝 Notes

If you have prawns with heads, fry them for 2 minutes in a little oil, crush them, add 1L of water and simmer for 15 minutes: you get an ultra-flavorful express broth for fideuà.

💡 Chef's Tips

The real key is the hot broth and not stirring after adding it. For a truly flavorful fideuà, start with moderate salt (the mussels and broth are already salty), then adjust the seasoning at the end. If your mussels release a lot of liquid, slightly increase the heat towards the end of cooking to concentrate the liquid without drying it out.

🔄 Variations

• For a more traditional "seafood" version: replace the chicken with pieces of monkfish and add a handful of clams.
• Milder version: remove the smoked pimentón and add a little lemon zest at the end of cooking.

Nathalie Laplace

Food writer for the Simple & Bon website. Passionate about healthy cooking and especially salads, slow-cooked or oven-baked recipes.