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One Pan Spanish Chicken And Rice

Spanish chicken and rice with saffron-tinged, deeply flavored rice cooked in one pan. Golden skin-on chicken thighs rest on tender arroz con pollo with roasted red peppers and peas.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Spanish
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 bone-in chicken thighs
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.25 tsp turmeric
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Rice base
  • 1.5 cup long grain rice
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 2.5 cup chicken broth
  • 0.5 cup white wine
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 0.5 onion, diced
  • 4 clove garlic, minced
  • 0.25 tsp saffron threads, bloomed in warm water
Finish
  • 0.5 cup frozen peas
  • 0.25 Salt
  • 0.25 pepper
  • 0.25 fresh parsley
  • 1 lemon

Equipment

  • 1 paella pan

Method
 

Sear the chicken
  1. Season bone-in chicken thighs with smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Heat olive oil in a wide paella pan and sear skin-side down for 6 minutes until deep golden, then remove to a plate.
Build the sofrito
  1. Add onion and red bell pepper to the pan and sauté for 4 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute, just until fragrant.
Cook the rice and simmer
  1. Add long grain rice and toast briefly so it smells nutty. Pour in white wine, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, saffron liquid, and turmeric, then bring everything to a simmer.
  2. Nestle the chicken skin-side up into the simmering rice and cover the pan. Cook on medium-low for 25-30 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, with the chicken tucked into the grains.
Finish and serve
  1. Scatter frozen peas over the top of the rice and cover again. Cook until the peas are bright green and tender, about 0-3 minutes as the pan holds heat.
  2. Turn off the heat and rest the covered pan for 5 minutes. The rice should look settled and slightly glossy while the chicken juiciness redistributes.
  3. Garnish with fresh parsley and squeeze lemon over right before serving. Serve with the chicken resting atop the deeply colored saffron rice and peas.

Notes

For best texture, use a wide pan (paella pan or skillet) so the rice cooks evenly and the top layers don’t steam too much. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; reheat covered with a splash of broth or water until hot through. Freezing is not recommended for the rice texture. For a lighter option, use skinless chicken thighs and reduce the olive oil to 1 tbsp while still seasoning generously.