One Pan Spanish Chicken and Rice (Printable version)
Juicy chicken thighs seasoned with Spanish spices bake atop aromatic rice with bell peppers, tomatoes, and peas in this easy one-pan meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
02 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
05 - ½ teaspoon salt
06 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
→ Rice and Vegetables
08 - 1 cup long grain white rice
09 - 1 small onion, diced
10 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
11 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
12 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
13 - 1 cup frozen peas
14 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
15 - 2 ¼ cups chicken broth
16 - ½ teaspoon saffron threads or 1 teaspoon turmeric
→ Garnish
17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
18 - Lemon wedges
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Mix smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture evenly over both sides of the chicken thighs.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken thighs skin-side down for 3–4 minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
04 - Add onion and bell peppers to the same pan. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Stir in rice and saffron or turmeric; cook for 1 minute. Add drained tomatoes and chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer.
06 - Stir in frozen peas. Arrange the chicken thighs skin-side up on top of the rice mixture.
07 - Cover the pan tightly with a lid or foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
08 - Uncover and bake for an additional 10–15 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the rice is tender.
09 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The rice absorbs all those delicious chicken juices and spices, becoming impossibly flavorful without any fancy techniques
- Clean-up is essentially nonexistent because everything happens in a single pan
02 -
- Don't skip searing the chicken first, that golden crust adds incredible depth to the final dish
- Let it rest before serving, the rice needs those few minutes to absorb the remaining liquid
03 -
- Pat the chicken really dry before seasoning so the skin crisps properly
- Don't lift the lid during the first 30 minutes of baking, that steam is doing all the work