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Spanish Style Chicken and Rice with Paprika

Close-up of Spanish Style Chicken and Rice with Paprika, featuring golden chicken thighs and vibrant yellow rice.
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A flavorful and comforting one-pot Spanish rice with tender chicken thighs, smoky paprika, and vibrant saffron-tinged rice, perfect for quick weeknight dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (boneless optional)
  • 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 3 cups chicken broth (homemade or low-sodium store-bought)
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped (optional, for garnish)
  • Fresh lemon wedges (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients (about 10 minutes): finely chop onion, mince garlic, dice red bell pepper. Pat dry chicken thighs and season generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Brown the chicken (8-10 minutes): heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or skillet. Place chicken skin-side down and cook until golden and crisp, about 5-6 minutes. Flip and cook 3-4 minutes more. Remove chicken and set aside.
  3. Sauté the veggies (5 minutes): lower heat to medium, add onion and red bell pepper to the pot. Cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute until fragrant.
  4. Add spices and rice (2 minutes): stir in smoked paprika, cumin, and oregano, coating veggies well. Add rice and stir 1-2 minutes to toast lightly and absorb spices.
  5. Add liquids and chicken (2 minutes): pour in diced tomatoes with juices and chicken broth. Stir to combine, then nestle browned chicken thighs skin-side up into the pot.
  6. Simmer covered (20-25 minutes): bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat to low, cover tightly and simmer without stirring until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through (internal temp 165°F).
  7. Rest and finish (5 minutes): remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes to finish steaming.
  8. Garnish and serve: sprinkle with chopped parsley or cilantro and serve with lemon wedges.

Notes

  • Do not skip browning the chicken to lock in juices and flavor.
  • Avoid stirring rice while simmering to prevent mushiness.
  • Use fire-roasted tomatoes for extra smokiness.
  • Leftovers taste better after flavors deepen overnight.
  • For gluten-free, ensure broth is gluten-free.
  • Variations include vegetarian, spicy, seafood, brown rice, and low-carb options.

Nutrition

Keywords: Spanish chicken and rice, paprika chicken, one-pot meal, weeknight dinner, easy chicken recipe, flavorful rice

Find it online: https://www.meltitclean.com/spanish-style-chicken-rice-paprika/