Chicken with Spanish rice is one of our favorite recipes and one that our whole family absolutely loves. Every inch of this meal is packed with flavor, even thinking about it now gets the ol’ salivary glands to work. There are so many layers of flavor, from the chicken thighs to the fire roasted tomatoes and of course the addition of Spanish olives. We love when we can jump into our kitchen and whip up a meal that is fresh, flavorful and truly satisfying. Here’s how we do it.
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ pounds chicken thighs bone in, skin-on (about 6 pieces)
2 cups long grain white rice
1 (15 oz) can fire roasted tomatoes with juice
1 cup pimento-stuffed Spanish olives
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
¼ cup cilantro, garnish
1 lime, sliced for garnish
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
Mix salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder in a bowl. Season chicken with spice mixture on both sides.
Heat oil in a large pan on medium-high. Place chicken into pan, skin-side down, to sear. Once brown, flip to sear other side. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
Sauté onions and bell pepper in the same skillet until just softened, 3 minutes.
Pour uncooked rice into prepared casserole dish. Add diced tomatoes, with juices, and chicken broth. Scatter in sautéed vegetables. Place chicken breasts on top of rice mixture. Scatter olives over top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes.
Remove chicken from dish and use a fork to fluff rice. To serve, return chicken to casserole dish and add cilantro sprigs and lime slices as garnish.