One Skillet Spanish Chicken and Rice

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One skillet Spanish Chicken and Rice is an easy dinner recipe packed with flavor and ready in under an hour.

A cast iron pan full of Spanish rice chicken with kitchen towels in the background

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One of my favorite parts of traveling is trying out new foods.  

Two years ago we took the kids and grandparents on a cruise that stopped in Central America and I was ecstatic to get to try some authentic foods-we took one trip to see some Mayan ruins in Belize and on the way back to the port we stopped at a restaurant and had chicken and rice with Belizean beer-that was a great day!

I was inspired to make this One Skillet Spanish Chicken & Rice from that trip and have spent quite some time experimenting to get to this final, delicious version!

crispy chicken thighs over Spanish rice in cast iron skillet

Why I love this recipe

The crispy chicken thighs are nestled in rich, flavorful Spanish rice chock full of bacon, peas, and fire roasted tomatoes. This dish is PACKED with flavor and to top it off, you have only one pan to clean!

Ingredients:

  • 6 bone in chicken thighs, skin on
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 8 pieces extra thick bacon, cut into 1″ pieces
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cup long grain rice
  • 3/4 cup frozen peas
  • 14.5 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes

Step by step

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large cast iron or oven safe skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat until very hot but not smoking.  
  2. Add chicken thighs and cook sear for 3-4 minutes on each side.  Remove chicken to plate.
  3. Add onion and bacon to skillet and cook until onions are soft and bacon is crispy, about 7 minutes.
  4. Add garlic, cumin, wine and broth and stir to mix.  
  5. Add rice, peas and tomatoes.  Stir well and simmer 5 minutes.
  6. Remove from heat, add chicken back to pan and cover with two layers of aluminum foil.  Place skillet in oven and cook for 40 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.
Spanish chicken in a spoon held over a cast iron skillet with rice

Tips for best results

  • Don’t skip the searing step, this locks all the juices into the chicken thighs and helps you get that crispy exterior.
  • If you don’t have an oven-proof skillet you can transfer the rice to a casserole dish then top with the chicken and cover with foil instead.

If you try this recipe please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!

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crispy chicken thighs over Spanish rice in cast iron skillet

One Skillet Spanish Chicken & Rice


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5 from 1 review

Description

This one pot Spanish Chicken & Rice is packed with flavor and simple to make.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 6 bone in chicken thighs, skin on
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 8 pieces extra thick bacon, cut into 1” pieces
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cup long grain rice
  • 3/4 cup frozen peas
  • 14.5 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. In a large cast iron or oven safe skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat until very hot but not smoking.
  3. Add chicken thighs and cook sear for 3-4 minutes on each side.
  4. Remove chicken to plate.
  5. Add onion and bacon to skillet and cook until onions are soft and bacon is crispy, about 7 minutes.
  6. Add garlic, cumin, wine and broth and stir to mix.
  7. Add rice, peas and tomatoes.
  8. Stir well and simmer 5 minutes.
  9. Remove from heat, add chicken back to pan and cover with two layers of aluminum foil.
  10. Place skillet in oven and cook for 40 minutes.
  11. Remove and serve immediately.
  • Prep Time: 18 mins
  • Cook Time: 40 mins
  • Category: Entree
  • Method: stovetop
  • Cuisine: Spanish

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 739
  • Sugar: 3.4 g
  • Sodium: 727.8 mg
  • Fat: 53.7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 19.9 g
  • Protein: 40.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 213.8 mg

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3 Comments

  1. Am I missing the chicken cooking longer, than the initial browning? Wouldn’t it go back in on top of the rice and veggies to be cooked during that 40min period, also? Bone in thighs don’t normally cook in such a short time for me. I keep looking back but missing seeing you add the chicken in. This recipe looks really good otherwise.

    1. It’s in these steps starting at 9:

      Remove from heat, add chicken back to pan and cover with two layers of aluminum foil.

      Place skillet in oven and cook for 40 minutes.
      Remove and serve immediately.