Spanish · Authentic-ish Spanish
Chicken and Rabbit Paella
609 kcal a serving, against 806 for the traditional version. That is 197 kcal off, or 24%, with 46.1g of protein. Serves 6. 1 hour 30 minutes.
What the traditional version is
The classic paella from Valencia starts with bone-in, skin-on chicken and rabbit, browned hard in a lake of olive oil. The meat and fat render together, giving the rice a rich, sticky finish as it cooks.
What changed, and what each change costs
Remove skin and bones from both chicken and rabbit, and use lean cuts
The original builds its flavour and silkiness from all that rendered fat and marrow.
What it costs you. You'll have less of that deep, lip-coating feel in the rice. If you want silk, keep the skin. But this way you get more bite of actual meat per serving and a fraction of the fat.
Cut olive oil from 60g down to 15g
Let's be real, most of the oil in paella is there to help brown the meat and carry the saffron. Less oil means your rice will want to stick a bit more and the crust is a bit shyer, but you still get the right taste.
What it costs you. The socarrat - that golden, crispy base - won't be as wicked, and the surface won't glisten like it's just had a day at the beach. But there's far less grease left in the pan when you're done.
Lean rabbit saddle swapped for whole rabbit on the bone
This one goes the other way: instead of using all the odds and ends, use just the saddle, chopped, for less fat and more meat you can actually chew.
What it costs you. You lose some of the collagen from the joints (unless you want to dice up the shoulders and legs - be my guest), but it's a fair trade for real bites of rabbit instead of a hunt for edible bits.
Gelatine added to stock to replace muscle fat
With all the fat and bones out, the rice dries out fast and feels thin. Blooming gelatine into the stock gives you a bit of bounce and helps the rice behave more like the classic without actually making it greasy.
What it costs you. It isn't quite as lush, but it still clings a bit to your spoon. No one will ever mistake it for the real thing, but if you want close-ish without the oil slick, this does the job.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 806 | 609 |
| Protein | 47.2g | 46.1g |
| Fat | 34.4g | 13.1g |
| Saturated fat | 8.1g | 3.2g |
| Carbohydrate | 73.6g | 73.4g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 5.9g | 7.6g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Spanish prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. celery.
The method is in the book
Paella purists will give me the side-eye for this, but it's a fair swap: leaner, more actual meat, far less grease, and a rice that hangs together without feeling boiled. You do lose that "licked by olive oil" edge, and the bottom crust won't win medals, but the hit of saffron, beans and meat is all there. If you want the original's slick, use all the oil, never mention the word 'light', and book a siesta.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Spanish, along with 57 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.