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A close-up view of a serving of Spanish chicken and rice in a serving bowl with one seared chicken thigh resting on the colorful rice with slices of Spanish chorizo visible.

Spanish Chicken and Rice (Arroz con Pollo)

Course: Entree
Cuisine: Spanish / American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4
Calories: 856kcal
Author: Kris Longwell
This one-pot wonder truly is wonderful in so many ways. Go with any choice of chicken (skin-on, bone-in, or skinless-boneless), just remember the cooking time will be a little less for boneless. The flavors are deep and the clean-up is a snap!
Print Recipe

Equipment

  • 1 ovenproof skillet with a lid 12" or larger is best

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs chicken thighs skin-on, bone-in. See NOTES
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil divided
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 teaspoon smoked paprika divided
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1½ cups Spanish chorizo cured (fully cooked), sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup rice short, medium, or long-grain
  • ¼ cup white wine
  • 1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes with juice
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • ½ teaspoon saffron threads chopped (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ⅓ cup roasted red bell pepper cut into strips
  • ⅓ cup green olives halved
  • 2 tablespoon Italian parsley chopped, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Brush the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season all over with salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika.
    3 lbs chicken thighs, salt and pepper, 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Heat the olive oil (2 tbsp)over medium heat in a large ovenproof skillet (or Dutch oven).
    3 tablespoon olive oil
  • Sear the chicken thighs, skin-side down, for 5 minutes, or until the skin is browned and crispy (move the chicken around with tongs or a spatula to keep the skin from sticking to the bottom of the pan). Flip the chicken and cook on the other side for another 3 minutes. Place the chicken on a platter and set aside (the chicken won't be fully cooked yet).
  • If there is too much grease/oil in the skillet, spoon off all but about 2 tbsp. Add the onion and chorizo and sauté until the onion is soft, about 4 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.
    1 medium onion, 1½ cups Spanish chorizo, 3 cloves garlic
  • Add the rice and stir to coat. Carefully pour in the wine and cook until most of it has evaporated, about 1 to 2 minutes.
    1 cup rice, ¼ cup white wine
  • Stir in the tomatoes (with juices), broth, saffron (if using), oregano, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
    1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes, 3 cups chicken broth, ½ teaspoon saffron threads, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 bay leaf
  • Stir, and then turn off the heat. Nestle the chicken pieces into the pan. Cover and place in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender. After about 20 minutes, stir the rice (you may need to remove the chicken pieces to do this and then place them back in the pan after stirring the rice). Stir in the roasted peppers and green olives. Cover and return to the oven for the remainder of the 30 minutes.
    ⅓ cup roasted red bell pepper, ⅓ cup green olives
  • Remove the bay leaf and serve hot. Garnish with chopped parsley (or chopped scallions), if desired.
    2 tablespoon Italian parsley

Video

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube Channel. 
For the chicken pieces, you can use all skin-on, bone-in thighs, or a combination of pieces, including legs. Or you can go with an entire cut-up chicken. If using skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts, you can reduce the searing time. 
Saffron is traditional in Spanish cooking, however, it's a little pricey. It adds a nice depth of flavor, but it can be omitted if you'd rather not invest in it. If so, it can be found in the spice section of many supermarkets or online. 
Start checking the rice after about 20 minutes of baking. Depending on the type of rice you're using, it can take anywhere from 25 to 35 minutes for it to become tender. Be sure to stir the rice after about 20 to 25 minutes (Removing the chicken to stir the rice makes this step a little easier. Place the chicken back in the pan along with the roasted pepper and olives before returning to the oven). 
Leftovers will keep (covered) in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a dish covered with foil in a 325°F oven for 20 minutes, or until heated through. Or heat in the microwave on HIGH for 1 to 2 minutes. 

Nutrition

Calories: 856kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 67g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 254mg | Sodium: 764mg | Potassium: 899mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1189IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 4mg