Spanish One-Pot Chicken & Rice

Craving an easy and flavour-packed chicken dinner recipe? This Spanish one-pot chicken and rice is your ticket to a delicious, fuss-free meal. Think tender, crispy chicken thighs nestled in perfectly seasoned tomato rice—all cooked in one pan for easy clean-up!

Chicken and Rice Spanish One Pot
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Jump to: ℹ️ Overview | 🛒 Ingredients | 📷 How To Make | 📹 Watch The Video | 👩‍🍳 Recipe Tips | 🥗 Serving Suggestions | 📝 Full Recipe Card | 🍽 More Spanish-Inspired Recipes


This one-pot Spanish chicken and rice recipe is all about big flavours with minimal effort. I am talking tender chicken thighs, seasoned to perfection with smoked paprika and cumin, cooked on a bed of fluffy, flavourful tomato-infused rice.

What sets this dish apart is the balance of smoky, tangy, and savoury notes, thanks to the combination of fire-roasted peppers, olives, and tomatoes. It’s a crowd-pleaser and a family favourite. Plus, everything comes together in one pan, making it a breeze to cook and even easier to clean up.

I hope you enjoyed this chicken and rice one-pot meal!

👩‍🍳 If you love chicken dinner recipes, check out these: Asian chicken meatballs, garlic Parmesan chicken, red chicken chili with cream cheese, chicken Paprikash or creamy one-pot chicken and orzo.

Chicken Rice One Pot Spanish
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What You’ll Need

Here is what you’ll need for this Spanish chicken and rice recipe. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.

For the Chicken: boneless chicken thighs (with skin or without), I like boneless because they cook quicker and work well with one-pot rice situation. You will also need smoked paprika, sweet paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, black pepper and olive oil.

Chicken Thighs one-pot spanish ingredients
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For the Rice part: onion, carrot, garlic (vegetable flavour base), smoked paprika and sweet paprika, medium-grain white rice (you can use any white rice but I find this is the best one for this particular recipe). Plus, green olives (I used stuffed with red peppers as that’s very Spanish), fire-roasted red peppers (the ones that are slightly pickled), cherry tomatoes, and canned diced tomatoes to continue with our Spanish and Mediterranean theme. Chicken stock for cooking the rice in.

One Pot Spanish Chicken And Rice ingredients
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  • For Garnish: Fresh parsley and lemon wedges.

Tips & Swaps

  • Swap green olives for black Spanish if you prefer a milder taste.
  • No fire-roasted peppers? Regular roasted or fresh bell peppers/capsicum will work. If using fresh red peppers, throw them in at the same time as onions and carrots.
  • For extra richness, throw in some chorizo with the veggies.
  • Note about the cooking pot: You need a large, deep pan with a lid. I love my non-toxic, super versatile saute pan from Blu. cookware range, it’s halfway between a pot and a pan and comes with a lid. I often use it for one-pot dishes as you can saute, pan-fry, simmer, braise and layer a bunch of ingredients with one pan.

How To Make Spanish One-Pot Chicken & Rice

Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos.

  • Cut thighs in half, season with spices.
  • Sear in olive oil until golden and crispy. Remove from pan.
season and pan-fry the chicken
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  • In the same pan, sauté onion and carrot, then add garlic and spices.
  • Add rice, stir to coat in oil, and let it toast for a minute.
  • Add olives, peppers, tomatoes, and stock. Stir.
  • Nestle chicken back on top of rice. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
  • Let the dish sit off heat for 5 minutes, then garnish with parsley and lemon.
Cook the vegetables and toast the rice
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Watch The Video

Recipe Tips

  • Don’t skip toasting the rice—it adds a delightful nuttiness.
  • Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or chili flakes to the spice mix if you like a bit of heat.
  • Want to amp up the flavour? Add some chorizo with the onions and carrots for a smoky kick.
  • For a Tex-Mex feel: add extra cumin and chili to the rice. Garnish with fresh cilantro/coriander. Make a little avocado crema sauce using 1/2 avocado, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro/coriander leaves, juice of 1/2 lime, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 garlic clove, 1/2 tsp salt, all blended until smooth. Drizzle over the chicken and rice when serving.
Chicken Thighs And Rice One-Pot Spanish
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Serving Suggestions

Serve this Spanish chicken and rice with a simple green salad or steamed veggies on the side. A glass of crisp white wine wouldn’t go astray either!

Storage Tips

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days maximum as rice doesn’t keep for long. However, you can store the chicken separately for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of stock if needed to keep the rice moist.

You can freeze leftover chicken but I don’t recommend freezing the rice because the texture will turn too stodgy.

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One-Pot Spanish Chicken And Rice feature
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Spanish One-Pot Chicken & Rice

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Author: Irena Macri
Servings: 5 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Spanish
Print Pin Save
5 from 1 vote
Calories: 543kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large, deep pan with a lid I love my non-toxic, super versatile saute pan from Blu. cookware range, it’s halfway between a pot and a pan and comes with a lid.
Looking for a comforting yet exciting weeknight dinner recipe? Try this Spanish-inspired one-pot chicken and rice! Juicy chicken thighs, smoky spices, and vibrant veggies come together in one pan for a meal that’s as easy as it is delicious.

Ingredients 

For chicken

  • 6 boneless chicken thighs skin off or on, I used skin off
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

For rice

  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 1 medium carrot diced small
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large cloves of garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1.5 cups medium-grain rice about 300 grams or 10.5 oz
  • ½ cup green stuffed olives sliced (I used pimento stuffed olives, very Spanish but you could use black olives)
  • ½ cup diced fire-roasted red peppers I use the ones from a jar like these
  • ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1 14 oz can canned diced tomatoes 400 grams, or 1.5 cups
  • 2 cups chicken stock salt reduced (if using full sodium stock, reduce salt to 1/2 teaspoon)

For garnish

  • 1 lemon cut into wedges
  • Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  • Season the chicken: Cut the chicken thighs in halves and lay them out on a cutting board. Season evenly with smoked paprika, sweet paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Rub all over the chicken thighs.
  • Pan-Fry the Chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken thighs, skin-side down. Cook for 4 minutes until one side is golden brown and crispy. Flip the thighs and cook for another 4 minutes on the other side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
  • Cook the Vegetables: In the same pan, add the chopped onion and carrots and season with salt. Sauté for about 7-8 minutes, until softened and golden. Add the minced garlic, smoked paprika and sweet paprika and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
  • Toast the Rice: Add the rice to the pan with the vegetables. Stir to coat the rice in the oil and let it toast for a minute. This helps to develop a deeper flavor.
  • Add the other ingredients: Add most of the sliced olives, fire-roasted peppers and half of the cherry tomatoes. Top with canned crushed tomatoes and stir through. Finally, pour in the chicken stock and stir to combine.
  • Return the Chicken: Nestle the chicken thighs back into the pan on top of the rice. Top with the remaining tomatoes, olives and peppers. Lower the heat to medium-low (5 out of 10 on induction), cover the pan with a lid, and let it cook for about 20 minutes. Once done, remove the pan from the heat. Let it sit, covered, for about 5 minutes.
  • Finish and Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges. Serve hot and enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • Don’t skip the toasting step for the rice—it adds a nice nutty flavor.
  • If you like a bit of heat, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the spice rub or sautéed vegetables.
  • For a more robust flavor, consider adding a small amount of chorizo when cooking the onions and carrots.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days maximum as rice doesn’t keep for long. However, you can store the chicken separately for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of stock if needed to keep the rice moist. You can freeze leftover chicken but I don’t recommend freezing the rice because the texture will turn too stodgy.

Nutrition

Calories: 543kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 1719mg | Potassium: 849mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3032IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 6mg
Keywords: Chicken Thighs, One-Pot, Chicken and Rice, Chicken Rice, Spanish Chicken and Rice
Tried this recipe?Mention @cookedandloved or tag #cookedandloved

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Irena Macri
By Irena Macri

About the author: Hi, I’m Irena Macri. I share delicious recipes that I have cooked and loved. I am a published cookbook author, have been food blogging for over 10 years and have a Diploma in Nutrition. You will find many healthy recipes as well as my favourite comfort food. More about me here | Subscribe to my newsletter and freebies

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5 from 1 vote

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