Also known as Arroz con Pollo, this One Pot Spanish Chicken and Rice is made with chicken, rice, saffron, wine, and colorful vegetables. It is an easy one pan dinner with loads of flavor. We like ours garnished with a bit of parsley, and some lemon wedges!
What do I need to know to make Spanish Chicken and Rice?
- Saffron is expensive, but a little bit will last you FOREVER. For reasonably priced saffron, check out Trader Joes.Â
- I use a 3 inch deep, stove top pan. While not authentic to this dish, it works GREAT. I bought mine at HomeGoods for around $12.
- Regular white rice works great for this dish!  Bomba Rice is authentic to Arroz con Pollo, but white rice works just as well.
- For wine, we used Pinot Grigio; it’s dry, and not overly sweet.
- We’ve included a video for this recipe; check it out!
How to Make Arroz con Pollo (Spanish Chicken and Rice):
1st step: Bloom saffron in white wine (this just means soaking- it infuses the flavor of the saffron into the wine).
2nd step: Pat chicken dry to remove excess moisture (this creates a better sear). Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then sear chicken to a nice light golden brown. Note: They do not need to be fully cooked yet and will continue to cook with the rice.
3rd Step:Â Remove chicken from pan, add chopped red bell peppers and onions. Sautee until onion is translucent.
4th Step: Add rice. Sauté for a few minutes. Then, add your saffron wine, and chicken stock. Then- Add chicken on top of rice and liquid mixture. Simmer on low-medium heat.
5th Step: DO NOT STIR YOUR RICE. Why? Because it will get mushy.  Gently lift each chicken thigh after about 10 minutes to disperse any liquid which might have pooled underneath each chicken piece (this helps keep the rice fluffy).
6th Step: Once rice is fluffy, and chicken is to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, turn stove off, and add peas. Once peas are warm throughout, serve and enjoy!
Other Helpful Tips to make Arroz con Pollo:
- Bone in, skin on chicken thighs are really the best  for this. BUT- if you must, skinless, boneless chicken thighs will work in a pinch. If you chose skinless, boneless thighs, I’d suggest sprinkling some flour on them after patting them dry for a better sear since they have less fat than skin on, bone in thighs and won’t naturally sear as well.
- The wine: I used Pinot Grigio. It’s dry, which pairs well with how fresh and delicious this Spanish Chicken and Rice is.
- Don’t like wine? Chicken stock will work. It will be a tad less flavorful though. Add some additional garlic to make up for lost flavor. Fresh squeezed lemon juice will help add more flavor, too.
- Chop your red bell pepper and onion very finely. It really helps disperse as much flavor as possible.
- Don’t use canned peas. Frozen peas give more pop in both flavor, color, and texture.
- Garnish with parsley, or lemon wedges if serving for a crowd!Â
AND THAT, my friends, is our one pot Spanish Chicken and Rice! As mentioned above- here’s our video on how to make this. It really helps with a visual and makes cooking this dish so much easier!
Do you like one pan meals? Check out these other recipes for easy and flavorful meals with no clean up!Â
- Honey Mustard Chicken and Rice- Baked all in one pan with sticky, gooey and delicious honey mustard sauce.
- French Onion Chicken- A delicious, quick meal that is reminiscent of French onion soup but without the lengthy cook time!
- Easy Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Pan Sauce-Â With just a quick sear and a few ingredients you have the most amazing dinner and mushroom pan sauce.
What do you think about this Spanish Chicken and Rice recipe? Have questions? Comment below! Don’t forget to like us on Facebook, and connect with us on Instagram and tag your LaughingSpatula recipes with #laughingspatula. We love to see your pics!Â
Spanish Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup white wine I used Pinot Grigio
- 1 tsp saffron threads
- 4 bone in skin on chicken thighs
- 1 cup white rice
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- 1 cup finely chopped white onion
- 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic clove
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- salt and pepper to taste
- lemon slices & parsley Optional for garnish
Instructions
- In small dish, add saffron to 1/4 cup white wine and set aside.
- Pat chicken thighs with paper towel to remove excess moisture. Sprinkle chicken thighs liberally with salt and pepper.
- In large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sear chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side until skin is browned. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside. NOTE: Chicken will not be full cooked but will continue to cook with rice mixture.
- In existing pan, add red bell pepper, garlic and onions, cook for 3-4 minutes until onion is translucent. Add uncooked rice and lemon juice. Saute rice and veggies for an additional 3-4 minutes.
- Add saffron/wine mixture and chicken broth. Stir once. Nestle chicken on top of rice mixture, cover with lid, and let simmer on low for 20 minutes, gently stirring once half way through to make sure rice is not sticking. Chicken is done when internal temp reaches 165 degrees.
- Turn stove off, add peas, and cover with lid. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Fluff rice with a fork, garnish with parsley and lemon wedges, and serve.
Nutrition
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