Spanish Chicken and Rice

Name: Spanish Chicken and Rice
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Family
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 6 bone-in chicken thighs; 1.5 cups long-grain rice; 3 cups chicken broth; 1 onion, diced; 1 bell pepper, diced; 2 tsp smoked paprika; a pinch saffron or turmeric; 3 cloves garlic

Spanish chicken and rice is a comforting one-pan dinner of golden chicken and saffron-tinged rice cooked together until rich and flavorful. The rice soaks up the savory chicken juices and smoky paprika for a deeply satisfying meal. It is a humble, budget-friendly classic the whole family will love.

Spanish Gluten-Free Dairy-Free High-Protein Stovetop Dinner Family Budget One-Pot Comfort Food Chicken

⏱ 45 min
📊 easy
🍽 Family

Ingredients

6 bone-in chicken thighs
1.5 cups long-grain rice
3 cups chicken broth
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
2 tsp smoked paprika
a pinch saffron or turmeric
3 cloves garlic

Instructions

Season the chicken and brown it skin-side down in an oiled pan, then set aside.
Saute the onion, bell pepper, and garlic in the drippings until soft.
Stir in the rice, smoked paprika, and saffron and toast for 1 minute.

Pour in the broth and nestle the chicken back on top.
Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid absorbed.
Rest off the heat for 10 minutes, then serve.

💡 Chef's tip

Let the rice rest undisturbed for the last 10 minutes off the heat; this steams it to fluffy perfection and can form a lightly crisp bottom layer.

Browning the chicken first and then cooking the rice in the same pan means the grains absorb all the rendered juices and fond, building far more flavor than cooking them separately.