All recipes

Mexican Paella with Cauliflower Rice

Mexican Paella with Cauliflower Rice layers smoky chorizo, juicy chicken, saffron, tomatoes, peas, and tender steamed tilapia over cauliflower rice for a light yet hearty one-pan dish. Each bite balances robust spices with sweet bell pepper and aromatic herbs, perfect for a vibrant weeknight dinner or casual weekend gathering.

  • Prep10 mins
  • Cook45 mins
  • Serves8
  • DifficultyMedium
Mexican Paella with Cauliflower Rice
  1. 1

    Set a paella pan over medium-high heat. Add chorizo and cook, stirring to break up any chunks, until browned and crumbly, about 5 minutes. Add chicken and cook, stirring, until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear. Transfer the chicken and sausage to a plate, leaving the drippings in the pan.

  2. 2

    Lower the heat to medium and add 2 cups of cauliflower rice. Cook and stir until the cauliflower is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, salt, and pepper. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

  3. 3

    Pour the canned tomatoes into the pan. Add bay leaves, thyme, saffron, and basil; mix well. Return the sausage and chicken to the pan. Stir in water, tomato paste, and bouillon until well combined. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

  4. 4

    Remove the lid and fold in peas and the remaining 1 cup of cauliflower rice. Set the frozen tilapia fillets on top of the paella mixture; cover and steam for another 10 minutes. Remove the lid and check for doneness. Gently break apart the fillets with a wooden spoon and stir to distribute the fish chunks throughout the paella.

  5. 5

    Set the paella pan in the center of the table and serve.

About This Recipe

Mexican Paella with Cauliflower Rice is a Spanish dinner recipe made with 18 ingredients. It takes about 55 mins, serves 8, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Chicken Bouillon, Chicken Breast, and Diced Tomatoes. Each serving provides about 285.71 kcal, and is a good source of protein.

Recipe Questions

What is Mexican Paella with Cauliflower Rice?
It is a Spanish paella recipe made with 18 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch.
What is Mexican Paella with Cauliflower Rice made of?
The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Chicken Bouillon, Chicken Breast, Diced Tomatoes, Diced Yellow Onion. The full list of 18 is above.
What goes well with Mexican Paella with Cauliflower Rice?
Explore these Spanish side-dish recipes.
How long does it take to make Mexican Paella with Cauliflower Rice?
About 55 mins in total: 10 mins to prepare and 45 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 285.71 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Mexican Paella with Cauliflower Rice easy to make?
This recipe is rated medium, with 18 ingredients and 5 steps.

How easyChef Pro Scores This Recipe

easyChef Pro gives every recipe a health score from 0 to 100, built from more than 30 nutritional parameters including nutrient density, energy density and glycemic impact. It calculates rather than estimates, so the same recipe returns the same score every time.

The number is traceable. You can see exactly which nutrient moved it, so a dish scoring 78 might show fiber pushing it up while sodium pulls it down, alongside the NOVA processing level of each ingredient.

Your health goal changes the calculation itself, not just a filter. easyChef Pro applies clinically derived weighting across six health dimensions, which is why the same dish can score well for one goal and poorly for another.

Swap an ingredient or change the serving size and that math changes with it. Scoring your own version is the only way to see what your kitchen actually produces.

Modified this recipe?

Changing ingredients or serving sizes changes the nutrition profile. Score your own version with easyChef Pro to see how it compares.

Learn More