Why Everyone Loves This Recipe

• It’s Fast and Easy: You can whip up this mouthwatering One Pot Chicken & Spanish Rice in just 30 minutes! If you season your chicken ahead of time, dinner will be ready and waiting for you when you get home. Plus, cleanup is a breeze!
• Perfect for Meal Prep: This recipe is one of my favorites for meal prepping. Pair it with some leafy greens, and you’ll have four satisfying servings ready to go for the week!
• Light and Clean: With minimal ingredients, this dish is relatively healthy and dairy-free. It’s the perfect choice for those evenings when you want something simple yet nutritious.

The Key Ingredients for One Pot Chicken & Spanish Rice

The Chicken Thighs: I recommend using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for the best flavor and juiciness. However, feel free to use any chicken you have on hand!

The Gandules Beans: Often known as “pigeon peas,” these beans offer a delicious buttery texture and are commonly used in many Latin American dishes.

The Spices: The combination of sazon, adobo, and sofrito gives this dish its unique flavor that makes it stand out from other one-pot recipes!

Notes: If you find it challenging to gather some ingredients, good news! Online shopping offers great options. You can easily find the spices mentioned here, such as Sazon, adobo, and sofrito, which are staples in my kitchen. A well-stocked spice cabinet can elevate your home cooking significantly!

Ingredients

• Chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
• 1 tablespoon of oil (for seasoning)
• 2 packets of Sazon seasoning
• 1 teaspoon of adobo seasoning
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup of sofrito
• 1 can of tomato sauce (8 oz)
• 1 can of gandules (pigeon peas, drained and rinsed)
• 2 cups of long-grain rice, rinsed
• 4 cups of water
• Cilantro and lime wedges for garnish

Instructions

1. Prepare the Chicken

Start by patting the chicken dry to ensure a good sear. In a small bowl, mix the oil, Sazon, adobo, salt, and oregano until well combined.

2. Season the Chicken

Pour the seasoning mixture over the chicken, ensuring each piece is well-coated.

3. Sear the Chicken

In a large skillet, add a bit of oil and sear the chicken over high heat for 3-5 minutes on each side until golden brown. Once done, remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.

4. Sauté the Aromatics

In the same skillet, add the diced onion, minced garlic, and sofrito. Sauté until the onion is translucent and fragrant.

5. Combine the Ingredients

Add the tomato sauce, drained gandules, Sazon, salt, oregano, and water to the skillet. Stir everything well and then mix in the rinsed rice.

6. Cook the Rice

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it cook on high for about 5-10 minutes or until most of the water has been absorbed.

7. Add the Chicken Back In

Carefully place the seared chicken on top of the rice. Cover the skillet and continue cooking on low heat for another 20 minutes.

8. Serve and Garnish

Once everything is cooked through, remove from heat and let it rest for a few minutes. Serve garnished with fresh cilantro and lime wedges for an added burst of flavor.

Note: Depending on the size of your chicken thighs, they may cook faster than the rice. If this happens, just remove the chicken and pop it in the oven for a few additional minutes to ensure it’s cooked through!

Nutritional Information

Calories: 320 kcal per serving

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so it should be used as an approximation.