Spanish Chicken and Rice is a simple, flavorful, and satisfying dinner that comes together in under an hour. A medley of seasonings like smoked paprika and garlic powder give the chicken mouthwatering flavor, while the rice is cooked in savory ingredients like chicken broth and tomato sauce!
In a small bowl, mix together the smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
Pat the chicken thighs dry and sprinkle both sides with the spices.
6 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add in the chicken, skin side down, and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook until browned on the second side, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
1 tablespoon olive oil
To the pan, add in the rice and sauté until toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth and tomato sauce. Nestle the chicken back into the pot. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes until the rice and chicken are cooked through.
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice, 1¼ cups low sodium chicken broth, 1 cup tomato sauce
Uncover, top with green olives, parsley, and lemon wedges to serve.
½ cup pitted green olives, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 1 lemon
Video
Notes
In place of chicken broth, you can use water or vegetable broth.
Feel free to use 4 chicken breasts instead of thighs. Or boneless skinless chicken thighs. Even drumsticks!
Storage: Store Spanish chicken and rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days.