One Pan Spanish Chicken and Rice Recipe (Arroz con Pollo)

4.88 from 123 votes

One Pan Spanish Chicken and Rice Recipe (Arroz con Pollo)

A delicious and easy take on Arroz con Pollo, this Spanish chicken and rice recipe with chorizo is a satisfying and flavorfu one-pan-wonder! It's important to rinse and soak the rice in water for a little while to get rid of excess starch.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Servings:

Author: The Mediterranean Dish

Ingredients

For Chicken etc.

1 1/2 cup medium grain rice washed
4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
4 chicken drumsticks
Olive oil
6 oz bulk Chorizo sausage no casings
1 large green bell pepper cored, chopped
1 medium red onion peeled, chopped
2 garlic cloves peeled, crushed
1 large ripe tomato chopped
3 tbsp tomato paste
3 cups chicken broth

For Spice Rub

1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper more or less to your liking (optional)

Instructions

Soak the rice in water. Rinse the rice well and place it in a bowl. Cover the rice with water and allow it to soak for 15 minutes while you work on other things. You should be able to break a grain of rice easily. Drain well.
Make the spice rub. In a small bowl, mix the spices, salt and pepper.
Season the chicken. Pat the chicken dry and season with the spice rub, be sure to lift the chicken skins and apply some of the spice rub underneath (this is important for flavor).
Brown the chicken on both sides. In a 5-quart braiser pan (or a large deep skillet with a cover), heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Carefully add the chicken and brown deeply on both sides. Remove the chicken and set it aside on a plate for now.
Cook chorizo and vegetables. In the same pan, add the chorizo. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly until the chorizo has nicely browned. Add the green peppers, onions, and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, for 5 minutes.
Cook the chicken. Now add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, and chicken broth. Add the browned chicken back to the pan. Raise the heat to bring the liquid to a boil, then lower to medium and cover. Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Add the rice and cook the rice with the chicken. Uncover the pan and remove the chicken briefly (set on a dish near the stove for now). Stir the drained rice into the cooking liquid. Cook uncovered over high heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken back on top of the rice. Turn the heat to low, cover the pan again and cook the rice and chicken together for another 20 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked.
Let the chicken and rice rest in the pan. Turn the heat off, but leave the pan covered and undisturbed for 10 more minutes. Serve hot.

Notes

Tip: Once cooked, leave the Spanish chicken and rice in the covered pan, undisturbed for 10 minutes or so. Rice needs time to rest, and allowing the time means that the starch will set and the moisture can evenly distribute so you don't end up with a gluey mess.
Leftovers & Storage: allow leftovers to cool and store in the fridge in a tight-lid glass container for 3 days or so.
Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including extra virgin olive oils and smoked paprika used in this recipe!

Nutrition

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