Description
This One-Pan Spanish Chicken and Rice recipe is a vibrant, flavorful dish featuring juicy seared chicken thighs baked with aromatic spices, bell peppers, tomatoes, and long-grain rice. Finished under a broiler for crispy skin, it’s an easy and satisfying meal perfect for any night of the week.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (about 4–5 pieces)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Vegetables and Rice
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1/2 cup bell pepper, diced
- 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 plum tomatoes, diced
- 1 jalapeño, diced (remove stems if desired)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup long-grain parboiled rice (or any long-grain white rice)
- 1/2 cup frozen peas (not thawed)
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (for garnish)
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare chicken: Preheat your oven to 400ºF. Wash the chicken thighs and pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels to ensure a good sear.
- Season the chicken: In a small bowl, mix garlic powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, ground coriander, salt, and black pepper. Generously season both sides of the chicken with half of the spice blend. Set aside the remaining half for later use.
- Sear the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large heavy-duty cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken thighs skin-side down and sear until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the seared chicken to a plate to rest.
- Sauté vegetables and spices: In the same skillet, add diced onion and bell pepper, sauté for 2 minutes until slightly softened. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in diced tomatoes, jalapeño, tomato paste, and the reserved spice blend. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes soften and mixture is aromatic.
- Add rice and liquids: Stir in the rice, frozen peas, and half of the chopped cilantro. Sauté briefly to combine, then pour in 2 cups water. Bring to a gentle simmer on the stovetop.
- Bake the dish: Nestle the seared chicken thighs on top of the rice mixture. Cover the skillet tightly with foil and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked, liquid is absorbed, and rice is tender. Alternatively, cook covered on the stovetop over low heat until done.
- Crisp the chicken skin: Remove the foil and place the skillet under the broiler for 4-5 minutes or until the chicken skin crisps to desired texture.
- Serve: Remove chicken from skillet. Fluff the rice with a fork, garnish with remaining chopped cilantro. Serve with lemon wedges and sour cream if desired. Enjoy your flavorful one-pan meal!
Notes
- For a spicier dish, leave some jalapeño seeds or add more jalapeño.
- Using parboiled rice helps achieve fluffy, separate grains that cook evenly.
- If you prefer boneless chicken, adjust cooking time as it will cook faster.
- Use a heavy-duty skillet like cast iron for best heat retention and searing.
- Broiling at the end adds a nice crispy skin texture.
- Leftovers store well and can be reheated on stovetop or microwave.
Keywords: Spanish chicken and rice, one-pan meal, baked chicken thighs, cast iron skillet recipe, easy dinner, spicy chicken, rice bake