The BEST Spanish Rice You’ve Never Had | Arroz Empedrado Granadino

This Spanish rice from Granada, known as arroz empedrado Granadino, is what Spanish regional comfort food is all about. It’s packed with flavors, super easy to make, and done in a little over 40 minutes. Serve it next to a garden salad, crunchy baguette, and of course a bottle of Spanish wine for a fabulous meal.

To make this recipe, I used boneless chicken thighs. You can also use boneless chicken breasts or a combination of both. For the liquid, I used chicken broth. Which is what’s traditionally used. You can also use vegetable broth, beef broth, or even water if you like. Just make sure to season accordingly if using water.

As for the rice, I used Spanish short-grain rice. Which is similar to Arborio. Of course, you can use any type of rice you like here. Just make sure to add in an extra cup (240 ml) of liquid than what the package states. As that helps give this dish that slightly creamy texture.

TIPS & TRICKS to Make this Recipe: Once you add the simmering broth into the fry pan, make sure to mix the rice every 2 to 3 minutes. As this will help release the starch in the rice, helping to achieve that slightly creamy texture along with the extra cup of broth.

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 this Arroz Empedrado Granadino

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Granada-Style Chicken & Rice | Arroz Empedrado Granadino

Course Main Course

Cuisine Spanish

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 650 kcal

Author Albert Bevia @ Spain on a Fork

Ingredients

• 1 liter chicken broth 4 1/4 cups
• 1/4 tsp saffron threads 0.17 grams
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 60 ml
• 1 lbs. boneless chicken thighs 450 grams
• 1 medium yellow onion (finely chopped)
• 1 green bell pepper (cut into small bite-size pieces)
• 6 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
• 1 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika 2.50 grams
• 2 tomatoes (finely grated)
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley 5 grams
• 1 cup short-grain rice 190 grams
• 1 cup canned white beans (drained and rinsed) 180 grams
• sea salt & black pepper

Instructions

1. Add the chicken broth, saffron, and bay leaf into a saucepan, and heat with a medium heat

2. At the same time, heat a large deep fry pan with a medium heat and add in the olive oil

3. In the meantime, add the boneless chicken thighs over some paper towels and pat dry, then season with salt & pepper, and then cut each one into bite-sized pieces

4. Once the oil is nice and hot in the fry pan, add in the chopped chicken, mix together, and then mix every 1 to 2 minutes

5. After about 4 minutes and the pieces of chicken are lightly browned (at this stage you don't have to fully cook the chicken), remove them from the pan and set aside

6. Using the same pan with the same heat, add in the chopped onion, green bell pepper, and garlic, and mix continuously

7. After 4 minutes and the vegetables are lightly sautéed, add in the paprika and quickly mix together, then add in the grated tomatoes, chopped parsley, and season with salt & pepper, mix together, and then simmer for a couple of minutes

8. Once the grated tomatoes have slightly thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes, add in the rice, mix continuously for 2 minutes, then add the pieces of chicken back into the pan, along with the canned white beans and the simmering broth, gently mix together, then mix every 2 to 3 minutes

9. After 18 minutes and the rice is just cooked through (check package instructions on the rice you are using), remove the pan from the heat

10. Transfer into shallow bowls and serve at once, enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Get the Spanish Olive Oil and Spanish Golden Saffron I used to make this Recipe

Nutrition Facts

Granada-Style Chicken & Rice | Arroz Empedrado Granadino

Amount Per Serving

Calories 650 Calories from Fat 306

% Daily Value*

Fat 34g52%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 6g

Monounsaturated Fat 18g

Cholesterol 116mg39%

Sodium 498mg22%

Potassium 797mg23%

Carbohydrates 59g20%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 28g56%

Vitamin A 1133IU23%

Vitamin C 38mg46%

Calcium 81mg8%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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