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chicken and yellow rice with peas in pan with garlic, parsley and lemon peel on the side.

One-Pot Spanish Chicken And Yellow Rice Recipe

Author: Sarah Jenkins
This Spanish Chicken And Yellow Rice recipe with peas is an easy one-pot meal that blends delicious lemon and garlic turmeric rice with flavorful spiced chicken thighs that are all cooked on the stovetop. It's a fast, flavorful chicken recipe that's perfect for busy weeknights.
5 from 50 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 6
Calories 41 kcal

Ingredients
  

For The Chicken

  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 8 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
  • ½ tablespoon turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For The Rice

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 ½ tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • zest from 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp ground tumeric
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 cups basmati rice
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 ½ cups frozen peas
  • ¼ cup parsley, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Place the rice in a colander or a fine mesh strainer and rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Allow the rice to drain while you prepare the chicken.
  • Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Mix the spices for your chicken - turmeric, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Season the chicken thighs well on all sides (use gloves if you don’t want the spice mix to stain your hands!). Add 2 tablespoon of oil to a large pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and sear it on medium high heat for 4-5 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
  • Add the ¼ cup of oil to the pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 4-5 minutes, until the onion is translucent. The cooking onion should loosen some of the leftover bits of chicken and spice that may have stuck to the pan when cooking the chicken. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan and loosen these bits. Add garlic, lemon juice and zest, cardamom, turmeric and thyme and saute for 30 seconds more.
  • Add the rinsed and drained rice to the pan. Allow the rice to cook in the oil for one minute, stirring frequently. Add the broth and the seared chicken to the pan and bring the mixture to a boil, then cover the pan, reduce the heat to a low simmer, and cook for 10 minutes.
  • Add the frozen peas to the rice mixture and cook for an additional 10 minutes, until the rice has fully absorbed the broth and the peas are soft.
  • Garnish the dish with the chopped parsley and serve.

Notes

  • Use gloves, and an apron when rubbing the chicken with spices to avoid staining your hands or clothes! Turmeric stains so easily and even a little splatter can ruin a shirt or outfit.
  • Use skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs for the moistest, most flavorful chicken.
  • Compare the broth amount and cooking times to what your rice packaging says and adjust as needed (especially if you are using something other than basmati rice).
  • Freezer-friendly! To freeze, allow the dish to cool completely, cover it tightly in a freezer-friendly container, and place it in the freezer for up to 1 month. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in a 380 degrees oven for about 30-40 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees F. You may need to add a small amount of additional broth or water to add a bit more moisture to the rice and prevent the dish from becoming too dry when reheating.

Nutrition

Calories: 41kcalFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 0.1mgPotassium: 0.05mgCalcium: 0.05mgIron: 0.03mg
Keyword basmati rice, cast iron skillet, chicken thighs, easy dinner, easy lemon cookie, easy weeknight dinner, garlic, one-pot recipe, tumeric rice, yellow rice casserole
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