This Spanish chicken and rice, known as “arroz con pollo,” is what the Spanish kitchen is all about. We’re talking a ton of great flavors, super easy to make, and all done in about 40 minutes using one pan. Serve it next to a crunchy baguette and a bottle of Spanish wine for an unforgettable meal.
To make this recipe, I used boneless chicken breast. You can also use chicken thighs if you prefer or a combination of both. Either way, make sure to cut the pieces of chicken into similarly sized pieces. That way, they all cook evenly.
As for the rice, I used Spanish short-grain rice, which is similar to Arborio. Of course, you can use any rice you like. Just make sure to check the package instructions. That way, you get your liquid-to-rice ratios and your cooking times right on the money.
TIPS & TRICKS to Make this Recipe: You want to add in the frozen peas when your rice has about 3 minutes left of being cooked through. If you add them in too early, they will lose their beautiful, vibrant green color and become mushy.
Key Ingredients & Cookware I used in this Recipe:
MY COOKWARE
MY CHEF´S KNIFE
EXTRA VIRGIN SPANISH OLIVE OIL
SPANISH GOLDEN SAFFRON
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Watch the Video Below on How to Make Spanish Chicken and Rice
Spanish Chicken and Rice | Arroz con Pollo
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 60 ml
- 2 boneless chicken breast 10 oz / 300 grams each
- 1 small yellow onion (finely chopped)
- 1 red bell pepper (finely chopped)
- 6 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
- 1/2 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika 1.25 grams
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme 0.50 grams
- 2 tomatoes (finely grated)
- 1/4 tsp saffron threads 0.17 grams
- 3 cups water 720 ml
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup short-grain rice 190 grams
- 1/2 cup frozen peas 75 grams
- sea salt & black pepper
- 1/2 lemon
Instructions
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Heat a large fry pan with a medium heat and add in the olive oil
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In the meantime, add the chicken breast over some paper towels and pat dry, then cut into 1-inch (2.50 cm) bite-sized pieces, and then season with salt & pepper
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Once the oil is nice and hot, add in the pieces of chicken, all in a single layer, and fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side to lightly brown the chicken, you don't need to fully cook it at this stage, then remove from the pan and set aside
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Using the same pan with the same heat, add in the chopped onion, red bell pepper, and garlic, mix continuously, after 4 minutes and the vegetables are lightly sautéed, add in the paprika and thyme, quickly mix together, then add in the grated tomatoes, saffron, and season with salt & pepper, mix together, and then simmer for a few minutes
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After about 4 minutes and the grated tomatoes have slightly thickened, add the pieces of chicken back to the pan, once again in a single layer, then add in the water, season with a kiss of salt, and add in the bay leaves, then turn it up to a high heat and give it a mix
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Once the water comes to a boil, add in the rice, gently mix it together, then place a lid over the pan and lower it to a low heat
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After simmering the rice for 15 minutes (which in my case was 3 minutes shy of the rice being cooked), we'll remove the lid and add in the frozen peas, all evenly spread out, and then place the lid back on the pan and simmer for another 3 to 4 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked through (check package instructions on the rice you are using), then remove from the heat
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Squeeze 2 tsp (10 ml) of lemon juice over the rice, and using a fork, gently fluff the rice, serve directly out of the pan or transfer into serving dishes, enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Get the Spanish Olive Oil and Spanish Golden Saffron I used to make this Recipe
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