One Pan Spanish Chicken and Rice (Print)
Juicy spiced chicken thighs baked with saffron rice, peppers, and tomatoes in a single skillet for an easy family dinner.
# Ingredient list:
→ 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. In a bowl, mix smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Rub the spice mixture evenly over 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 and set aside.
04 - In the same pan, add onion and bell peppers. 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 is cooked through (internal temperature reaches 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 Tips:
01 -
- Everything cooks in one pan, which means maximum flavor and minimum cleanup
- The chicken skin gets perfectly crispy while the rice absorbs all those delicious juices underneath
- It looks impressive but comes together with almost zero effort
02 -
- Don't skip searing the chicken first, that brown crust is where all the depth comes from
- Letting it rest for 5 minutes after baking makes a huge difference for the rice texture
- Drain the tomatoes really well or the rice never quite finishes properly
03 -
- Use the largest oven-safe skillet you have so the rice can spread out and cook evenly
- If the rice isn't done after the initial 30 minutes, give it 5 more minutes covered