Indulge in the delicious flavours of Spain with this Spanish Chicken and Rice Dish. Made with tender chicken breasts seasoned in a homemade spice blend nestled in aromatic rice with fresh lemon slices. This wholesome and delicious dish is sure to impress the whole family.
One of the best parts about making your own Spanish rice is that you'll never go back to using those pre-packaged versions again. This easy homemade recipe is packed with flavour and veggies taking this dish to a whole new level.
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Calories in Spanish Chicken and Rice
This filling all in one meal serves 4 and is 408 calories per serving, which is perfect for a family friendly meal.
There are lots more recipes around this calorie value in my 400-500 calories recipe section.
If you are using these recipes as part of a calorie controlled diet or healthy eating plan, you can calculate your daily calories by using a calorie calculator, as this will vary per individual depending on various factors.
Ingredients for Spanish Chicken and Rice
Most of the ingredients listed here are for the seasoning, so don't let the long list put you off, once you get the spice blend made up, it's a pretty quick and easy dish to put together.
for this Spanish Chicken and Rice recipe you will need all the following ingredients:
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- Long Grain Rice
- Onion
- Garlic
- Carrot
- Courgette (zucchini)
- Green Bell Pepper
- Peas
- paprika
- mild chilli powder
- onion and garlic granules
- ground cumin
- salt
- ground coriander
- oregano
- black pepper
- tomato paste
- vegetable stock
- lemon slices
- coriander
See the recipe card for full quantities.
Once all the ingredients are prepared, you can get ready to make this easy recipe.
Can I use chicken thighs?
I use 4 small flattened chicken breasts in this recipe (or you can use two large, butterflied in half, depending on the size of the chicken breasts you have purchased.
But if you would prefer to use boneless skinless chicken thighs, then those are perfect in this recipe too.
I recommend about 8 small boneless skinless chicken thighs if serving 4 people - around 85g-90g per thigh usually is what I go for.
Best Rice to use for Spanish Rice
For the Spanish rice, I use basic long grain rice, it holds its shape well and is not sticky like other rices. Just make sure you don't use a part cooked rice, as you are cooking the rice in one pan with the seasoning and vegetables.
Basmati will work okay too, but I prefer basic long grain rice in this recipe. Jasmine rice is too sticky and not recommended.
I haven't tested this with brown rice. Brown rice needs a lot more liquid and time to cook, so the whole recipe would need adjusting.
How to tell if Chicken Breast is cooked
It is important to use small chicken breasts that are flatten before cooking, so that they cook evenly all the way through. If you use large thick chicken breasts, they are not going to be cooked in the time specified or the outer part will be cooked and the inside still raw.
So make sure you flatten them out slightly with a meat tenderizer.
A meat thermometer is a good option to have if you are never sure if meat is cooked, as the last thing you want is dry over cooked chicken. Inserting a thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken should read 165ºF when cooked.
You can also check what colour the juices are or slice one of the chicken breasts in half at the thickest part to ensure it's cooked all the way through if you don't have a meat thermometer.
Sides for Spanish Chicken and Rice
This recipe is pretty much a complete meal, so you can enjoy it just as it is. I like to pair it with some green manzanilla olives, fresh coriander and lemon slices.
If you want a more filling meal using very little calories, bulk out your plate with some additional vegetables or a salad.
Some roasted veggies like peppers, onion and courgette are a great option or a mixed salad with some of your favourites.
More Chicken Breast Recipes
Looking for some more recipes using chicken breast? Check out the following recipes:
- Grilled Chicken Breast Stuffed with Mozzarella
- Spicy Chicken Stuffed with Feta Cheese and Salsa
- Chicken Parmesan
- Tomato and Mozzarella Hasselback Chicken
- Hunters Chicken (Chicken New Yorker)
- Golden Parmesan Crusted Chicken
- Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake
or if you would like more recipe ideas or sides to make with this recipe - head on over to the FULL RECIPE INDEX where you will find over 900 delicious recipes with calories and you can search by meal type, ingredients, course, diet and more..
All recipes on Slimming Eats have estimated nutritional information for your convenience.
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Recipe Card
Spanish Chicken and Rice
Indulge in the delicious flavours of Spain with this Spanish Chicken and Rice Dish. Made with tender chicken breasts seasoned in a homemade spice blend nestled in aromatic rice with fresh lemon slices. This wholesome and delicious dish is sure to impress the whole family.
Ingredients
for the seasoning
- 4 teaspoons of paprika
- 1 teaspoon of mild chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon of onion and garlic granules
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon of oregano
- ½ teaspoon of black pepper
for the rice
- 1 medium onion, chopped finely
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- ½ green bell pepper, finely diced
- 50g (2oz) carrot, finely grated (excess moisture squeezed out)
- 75g (2.5oz) zucchini (courgette), finely grated (excess moisture squeezed out)
- ½ cup (85g) of frozen peas
- 1 cup (180g) of long grain rice, uncooked
- 1 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 2 cups (480ml) of chicken stock
For the chicken
- 4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts - (approx 650g/22.9oz) - flattened
- olive oil spray
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Combine the seasoning together in a small bowl.
- Spray a large deep frying pan with olive oil spray oil and fry the onion, garlic for a few mins to soften. Add the carrot, courgette and pepper and fry for a further 2 mins. Add the rice and chilli 1.5 tablespoon of the season stir to mix thoroughly.
- Add the tomato paste and chicken broth and bring to the boil, cover and reduce to a simmer until all liquid is almost absorbed (refrain from stirring rice in this cooking period), Add the peas just before the end of cooking time. Remove from heat and set aside still covered with lid for at least 10 minutes so that the steam continues to cook the rice.
- Add the chicken to a large bowl with the remaining seasoning and rub the seasoning all over the chicken.
- Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and spray with olive oil spray. Fry for approx 6 minutes each side until browned and cooked all over.
- Season the chicken to toast with additional salt and black pepper and serve with the rice, lemon slices and fresh coriander (or can use parsley)
Notes
Please see below for details about recipe:
- Calories - scroll down to nutritional info box
- WW Points and other Slimming or Weight Loss programs: due to plans regularly changing and updating, we recommend calculating with the official tools you get as a member to those plans to ensure accuracy of values
- Gluten Free Friendly - use gluten free stock
- Dairy Free Friendy
- Side suggestions: green olives, salad or grilled/roasted vegetables
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Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1 SERVINGAmount Per Serving Calories 408Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 106mgSodium 971mgCarbohydrates 49gFiber 4gSugar 6gProtein 45g
Nutritional information and values etc are an estimate and is to be used for informational purposes only. Ingredients can vary greatly from brand to brand and therefore it would be impossible to give accurate information. It is always advised that you calculate by the ingredients you use.
Gemma says
Wow Ive just made this and its just as great as all your other recipes. Thank you so much for this blog as without it I wouldnt have been able to stick to slimming world, I need variety with my meals and as I am not a confident enough cook to prepare meals from scratch, your blog has enabled me to do this.
Angela Kearney says
Sorry, this is probably a stupid question but is it dry or cooked rice you are adding to the broth?
Admin says
Hi, the rice is uncooked
Charna says
Hi could you freeze any left overs? Thanks
Shevy (Slimming Eats) says
Hi if the rice is cooled and frozen withinn an hour of cooking, then yes it will be fine to freeze. Otherwise I wouldn't
http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/can-reheating-rice-cause-food-poisoning.aspx?CategoryID=51
Sam says
Just made this for dinner using my instant pot for the rice 3mins manual with 4 min natural release, perfect.. Finely chopped courgettes and carrots instead of grating them as was too lazy to grate. Will definitely be on the menu again.
Shevy (Slimming Eats) says
That's great to know the rice worked in the Instant Pot - thank you for sharing. I am glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Karen Howden says
Thanks so much for this! I follow you on Instagram and just so happened to stumble upon your blog through this today! I'm just starting out with this and really want it to be a success!
Nicola says
Just made this and it was amazing! Having a challenging week as my oven blew up at the weekend, so only have my hob and slow cooker at the moment! Will be using your blog at lot in the coming days
Liz says
Made this last night. So simple to do. Husband couldn't believe it was a healthy recipe. Clean plates all round!
Angelika says
Hi .. ive got 2 questions 🙂 how much rice I should add ? and what chicken stock ? normal cubes ? if yes then how many ?
Shevy (Slimming Eats) says
Hi Angelika, it gives rice measurement on recipe. It is 1 cup (240ml - you can use a measuring jug if you don't have cups) of uncooked rice. For the stock, it will depend on what you use as it varies, if you look on the box of the stock cubes, it will tell you how many you need for how many mls. I use homemade stock most of the time or buy cartons of organic broth which are syn free. Hope that helps 🙂
Sarah says
Hi, could you use brown rice instead?
Shevy (Slimming Eats) says
Hi Sarah, you definitely could, but without testing it out myself, I can't give the cooking time (as it will take a lot longer for brown rice to cook, plus you may need more liquid)
Susan says
Just had to leave a message to say how GREAT this recipe was! Stumbled upon it by complete accident and am so glad I did! Full of flavour and a firm favourite in our house now. What's great is how this can be tweaked to fit whatever 'back of the fridge' veg you have in. Thank you thank you!
Neil Evans says
Should the chicken be cooked in the oven or on the hob? Sorry it’s a stiupid quetions
Shevy (Slimming Eats) says
Hi Neil, the chicken is cooking on a hob in a frying pan or grill pan. Enjoy!!
Marie says
I really enjoyed this meal, it was very tasty & I liked the kick from the chilli powder. It was a good way to jazz up plain rice & get more veggies involved. Enjoyed leftovers the next day.
samantha read says
Hey how many would you say this generally serves if use exact measurements
Shevy (Slimming Eats) says
Hi Samantha - it gives servings on the recipe box. This recipe serves 4
Susan Morton says
Looking forward to trying these tasty meals starting with the Spanush Spicey chicken and rice
Carol says
Loved the dish. And the rice was so tasty
Shevy (Slimming Eats) says
ahhh thanks Carol - that's good to hear 🙂
Kirsty Haunton says
Just made this, it was so good and really filling too! I browned the chicken in s pan then baked in the oven wrapped lightly in foil and it was so good and very moist! Will be cooking this again
Natalie says
Just made this for me and my daughter. Absolutely delicious! Packed full of flavour oven backed the chicken then finished off on the griddle to crisp. Definitely on our weekly dinner plan! Thanks for sharing
Steve says
This is a firm family favourite!!! I’ve tweaked a few things like finely dicing 2 carrots and the courgette, including a whole pepper, cup and half of rice and 3 cups water. This makes a big enough batch otherwise it doesn’t last long enough! I rarely include the chicken as we use the rice for so many other things. We used to buy the pre mixed veg dried rice regularly but not since I discovered this recipe! 10/10 thank uou
Siobhan (Slimming Eats) says
so happy to hear that, love the sound of your tweaks too 🙂
Alison Davies says
I made this last week and it was delicious. The only adjustment I made was to put a little more water in when cooking the rice as I found the liquid was absorbing too quickly before the rice was cooked. I love your recipes.
Niccy Wyndham says
Wow! Everyone one of your recipes are tasty ! Slimming world or not thank you for the yummy dinners x
Alison Davies says
I’ve made this a few times now and it’s always delicious. I’ve frozen some of the rice a couple of times but found the rice not as moist after freezing. What do you suggest to revive it a little?
Greg Barlow says
Just made this (forgot the carrot) as my wife wants syn free dinners. Didn't have a skillet so used a frying pan. Came out lovely, was a hit with my fussy kids as well.
Peter Brockie says
Tried to find the recipe to make for my tea but its not there!