This one-pan Spanish chicken and rice made with onions, bell peppers, chorizo, and a simple seasoning is a fun variation of Arroz con Pollo. It has loads of flavor with all the comfort food vibes!
My Take on Spanish Chicken and Rice
Arroz con Pollo, or chicken and rice, is a comforting casserole with several variations found throughout Spain and Latin America. In Spain, however, it usually includes saffron, giving it its signature yellow coloring.
The seasonings and aromatics in this dish may vary depending upon who made it, but the two star ingredients: rice and chicken, remain the same. In my version of chicken and rice, I skip the saffron threads for an easier and more budget-friendly option, which is why mine is not yellow, but I keep all the Spanish flavors for a comforting one-dish recipe that almost alwasy leads to second helpings!
Spanish Chicken and Rice Ingredients
- Rice. Some recipes call for short-grain rice. I prefer medium-grain rice because, in my experience, short-grain rice is too sticky, while long-grain rice is too loose and doesn’t provide the texture I want.
- Chicken thighs and drumsticks. I am a thigh and drumstick gril all the way. The meat says tender and juicy.
- Chorizo, either Spanish or Mexican chorizo, will work.
- Vegetables: A sofrito of chopped red onions, bell peppers, and garlic
- Extra virgin olive oil to sauté the vegetables.
- Tomato and a little sweetness and umami from a bit of tomato paste.
- Chicken broth: You can use either homemade chicken broth or store-bought. If you use store-bought, just opt for the low-sodium kind.
- Spice rub: Smoked paprika gives you that complexity without the heat, then I use black pepper, garlic powder, and kosher salt, to round out the flavors. A small hint of cayenne brings the spice!
How to Make Arroz con Pollo?
This recipe is easy to make in just one large pan (a lid is a must). And it is all about cooking things in different stages for the best flavor and texture.
- 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 smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Season the chicken. Pat the chicken dry and season with the spice rub, both on top of and under the skin.
- 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 it with the chicken. Uncover the pan and transfer the chicken to a plate. 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.
Tips for Making Spanish Chicken and Rice
Selecting the rice for your arroz con pollo is important. Here are a few tips to follow:
- For the best results, rinse the rice several times until the water runs clear.
- I like to go one step further to soak the rice in water for 15 to 20 minutes. I do this with almost every rice dish. You’ve seen it earlier in my hashweh rice and this shrimp and rice recipe. I learned this trick from my mom.
- Why do I soak the rice before cooking? Soaking the rice helps remove excess starch, which makes it sticky. It also helps the rice cook quickly and evenly. That’s because when you soak the rice, you’re kick-starting the water absorption process before the rice hits the pan.
- Once cooked, leave the chicken and rice in the covered pan, undisturbed, for 10 minutes. The rice needs time to rest, and allowing the time means the starch will set and the moisture can evenly distribute so you don’t end up with a gluey mess.
What to Serve with Spanish Chicken and Rice
This is such a hearty recipe that I like to pair it with something lighter to balance it out. Roasted green beans or Spanish garlic mushrooms are both great options. If you’re looking for something fresh, try this orange salad with endive and radicchio.
More Spanish Recipes to Try!
Appetizer and Mezze
Albóndigas (Spanish Meatballs) in a Catalan-Style Saffron Sauce
Soups and Stews
Sopa de Ajo (Spanish Garlic Bread Soup)
Meat and Poultry
Escabeche de Pollo (Spanish Chicken Escabeche)
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.
Ingredients
For Chicken
- 1 1/2 cup medium grain rice washed
- 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 4 chicken drumsticks
- Olive oil
- 6 ounces 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 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cups chicken broth
For Spice Rub
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon 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 smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Season the chicken. Pat the chicken dry and season with the spice rub, both on top of and under the skin.
- 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 it with the chicken. Uncover the pan and transfer the chicken to a plate. 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
Calories: 687.6kcalCarbohydrates: 64.6gProtein: 48.5gSaturated Fat: 7.8gCholesterol: 163.5mgPotassium: 977.3mgFiber: 3.8gSugar: 2.9gVitamin A: 1148.3IUVitamin C: 33.1mgCalcium: 58.7mgIron: 5.4mg
Tried this recipe?
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*This post originally appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2017 and has been recently updated with new information for the readers’ benefit. Enjoy!
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Trying this out next week, do you think omitting chorizo will make a big difference? Not using processed meats.
That would be fine, Lala.
This is one of the most flavorful dishes I’ve ever had. First time we made it, it took so much longer for the stock to evaporate. This time we took 1/2 c of stock off. Still taking hours to finish. Any thoughts?
Hi Suzy, love your inspiring recipes❣️
For this one, can I substitute boneless chicken and cauliflower rice for a luncheon dish?
Hi, Annemarie. You can definitely use boneless chicken here. You’ll just want to watch the cooking time. Boneless chicken will be quicker to cook…internal temp needs to be 165 degrees F when cooked. I have never tried this with cauliflower rice, so I’m not sure if it would work. I’d really recommend sticking with regular rice here, if you can.
Made this for dinner last night. Lots of cutting but I did that earlier in the day. Very good flavor. Could not find medium grain white rice (son won’t have brown) but had white long grain rice. Worked fine. Good flavor. Lots of left over which we are looking forward to finishing. Thanks Suzy!
Very easy recipe with lots of flavor! This was a hit. Will make again!!!
Very labor intensive and good, not great. The dish was spicy and moist and reminded me of jambalaya. Not sure I would do all that work again when it would be easier to open a box of Zartarrains. Love a lot of your other recipes, so no worries.
Thinking maybe the bad reviews are deleted? This was just okay and a very fussy recipe. Will not be making again.
Hello! Adding this to my meal list this week 🙂 is this meant to be white or brown rice? Thank you. Love your site! I add something new from it every week. I have made the chicken cacciatore and the spatchcock chicken, which both were to die for.
Hi, Michelle! So glad you’re enjoying the recipes here! I typically make this with white rice, but it can certainly be done with brown rice if you prefer. Do keep in mind that brown rice will require more liquid and more time to cook because of its outer bran coating.
Great one pot meal. Had the Chorizo from oysters Chorizo an butter recipe. Used Farro instead of rice and added jalapeños and cilantro and some sour cream for presentation.
Thanks, Ed! So glad you enjoyed it!
So so delicious! I had no chorizo on hand but had a few slices of bacon leftover and fried that up instead. The bottom of the rice got a real nice crust to it. So delicious! I had made so many of your recipes and not one has failed me. Thank you!
Yay! Thanks so much, Harji!
I want to try this recipe, and am still trying to understand the chorizo. The recipe calls for bulk/without casings, but I have only been able to find hard or cured Spanish chorizo. Do you have a favorite brand you would recommend for this recipe, because I’m wondering if I should just order online. I keep Palacios chorizo in my pantry for charcuterie trays, but have tried to take the casing off before for cooking and it is very difficult. Any clarification of what you use would be appreciated. I would prefer to NOT use Mexican chorizo.
Hi, Liz. If you are using hard/cured Spanish Chorizo, you do not need to remove the casing.
I tried a similar recipe and enjoyed it so I began looking for other Spanish chicken and rice recipes. Your version looks even better -I look forward to trying it.
Hope you love it!!
Hi Suzy,
This was SO yummy!!! Thank you for the recipe. I do have. question. Is the rice supposed to be a little gummy? Or is the rice supposed to be grainy? The flavor was so good. Thank you. I am a big fan of your now.
Hi, Lucy. The rice isn’t supposed to be gummy. I’m wondering if maybe it was a bit overcooked. I’m so glad you still enjoyed the recipe, though!
This was so yummy. I used a cut up chicken because it’s what had on hand. I loved the flavors and so did my family. The chorizo was something I would never have thought to add and it added a whole new level of flavor. I had some edamame and added it at the end, because I could and it added some bright color and crunch. An excellent recipe and one I will make again.
Thanks for sharing, Elaine!
Amazing flavor…but my chicken was not that tender? Where did i go wrong? But my family went nuts over the flavor…will def try again!
Hmmmm… it’s hard to say, Jessica. I’ve not had that experience with this recipe before. Perhaps the chicken became a bit overcooked?
I have made this twice in 2 weeks it’s that yummy!
Also forgiving-I totally forgot the tomato paste the first time and it was still good. The second time I used a can of diced tomatoes instead of the fresh tomato/paste and subbed boneless skinless thighs. Awesome recipe!
So glad to hear it, Sheila. Thank you!