Spanish Chicken and Rice (Arroz con Pollo)

You will flip for this dish if you love a good one-pot wonder dish as much as we do.

There are many variations of this chicken and rice dish, but we think the Spanish flavors and ingredients put this dish in a class all of its own. It’s great for a weeknight dinner, but beautiful (and delicious) enough to serve to guests. Our Spanish garlic shrimp (Gambas al Ajillo) would be the perfect appetizer!

How To Make Spanish Chicken and Rice (Arroz con Pollo)

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The Ingredients You Will Need

Most of the ingredients in this dish are easy to find at your local supermarket. You can omit, or add, any of the ingredients, based on your likes. For this recipe, here’s what you’ll need to have on hand:

Chicken – We recommend bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces. We find thighs work wonderfully. However, you can also go with boneless chicken breasts, or even shredded (or cubed) chicken from a rotisserie.
Seasonings – Salt, pepper, smoked paprika, oregano, bay leaves, and saffron (optional).
Oil – Olive oil is best. Vegetable or canola oil can be substituted.
Onion – Chopped.
Garlic – Minced.
Chorizo – Cured Spanish-style is wonderful. It’s already cooked and all you need to do is brown it in the skillet. If you can’t find it, you can go with fresh chorizo, you’ll just need to cook it first in the skillet.
Rice – Short-grain or long-grain rice works perfectly. Or, go with traditional Spanish medium-grain paella rice. This can be found in many markets, including Whole Foods, or online.
White wine – We recommend Portuguese Maderia fortified wine. Or, any good dry white wine, such as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. If you don’t want to cook with alcohol, simply omit it. The flavor will still be wonderful.
Tomatoes – Canned chopped (or diced) work well. You can go with canned whole tomatoes, too. Crush them with your hands before adding them to the skillet. Or, use very ripe, red tomatoes, chopped – you’ll need about a cup and a half.
Roasted red peppers – The jarred variety is perfectly fine. You could also substitute pimentos for an authentic taste.
Green olives – Pitted.
Parsley – Fresh, Italian is best. Chopped and for garnish (optional).

EXPERT TIP: When searing the chicken, move the pieces around in the oil every little bit, this will help keep the skin from sticking to the skillet. Sear until the skin is brown and crispy.

Tips for Making Perfect Spanish Chicken and Rice

Searing the Chicken is Critical – Start by searing the chicken pieces skin-side down in a hot pan until they are golden brown and crispy. This step enhances the flavor and texture of the chicken, while also rendering some fat that will enrich the rice.

Use Authentic Spices – Incorporate traditional Spanish spices like smoked paprika, saffron, and oregano to infuse the dish with rich flavors. These spices will give the rice its vibrant color and distinctive taste.

Layer the Flavors – After removing the chicken, sauté onions, garlic, and sausage in the same pan to build a flavor base before adding the rice and broth. This layering technique ensures that every bite is packed with flavor.

Cook Covered – Once you add the rice and broth, cover the pan and cook on low heat to allow the rice to absorb the flavors and steam properly. Avoid lifting the lid during cooking, as this will release steam and affect the texture of the rice.

EXPERT TIP: If you are going with skin-on chicken pieces (recommended), you will have some rendered grease in your pan, also some from the chorizo, too. You’ll probably want to remove all but about 2 tablespoon before you add the rice. If not, the dish may taste a bit too greasy.

How To Serve

This dish is very filling and is the perfect one-pot wonder.

We bring the skillet right to the table and let guests help themselves. However, it’s also beautiful to plate each serving individually before serving.

Warm dinner rolls or crusty bread is the perfect accompaniment to the comforting dish.

EXPERT TIP: When cooking the chicken and rice in the oven (with the lid on), you’ll want to give the rice a stir after about 20 minutes. We remove the chicken onto a platter (or cutting board) to make this process easier. Then place the chicken back into the rice. Before cooking in the oven, the chicken will nestle into the broth, but the rice will absorb most of the liquid.

Other Amazing One-Pot Wonder Recipes to Try

One of the best things about a one-pot dish is the minimal cleanup that’s required. That’s great. But, the dish has to be delicious, as well. Here is a collection of recipes that check both of those boxes:

• Creamy Tuscan Chicken
• Chicken Florentine
• Cheesy Homemade Hamburger Helper
• Salisbury Steaks
• Tuscan Chicken with White Beans and Spinach
• Cajun Pork Chops with Rice
• Pork Chops with Capers Sauce
• Classic Chicken Cacciatore
• Mediterranean Tuna Steaks

These are all amazing in their own right, but, in the meantime, isn’t this dish calling your name?

This chicken and rice one-pot wonder has become a staple in our household.

We feel pretty certain that once you serve this to your loved ones, you’ll feel the same way.

And leftovers (if there are any) are equally delicious! So flavorful and easy clean up. What could be better than that?

Ready to make the tastiest one-pot wonder dish in town? Go for it!

And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag #HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!

Spanish Chicken and Rice (Arroz con Pollo)

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!

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Spanish / American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 4

Calories: 856kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

Video

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

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

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