Spanish Rice with Chicken, Olives and Chickpea Tomato Sauce Recipe

By
Yvonne Ruperti
A photo of Yvonne Ruperti, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Yvonne Ruperti is a food writer, recipe developer, former bakery owner, and cookbook author. She is also an adjust professor of baking at the Culinary Institute of America in Singapore.
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Updated August 30, 2018
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. Yvonne Ruperti

Recipe Details

Spanish Rice with Chicken, Olives and Chickpea Tomato Sauce Recipe

Active 30 mins
Total 60 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  • 8 ounces Italian sausage, sliced into 1/2-inch thick pieces

  • 3 pound whole chicken, broken down into 8 pieces (or 1 1/2 pounds chicken legs, thighs)

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 medium onions, finely chopped (about 2 cups)

  • 1 large green bell pepper, finely chopped (about 1 3/4 cup)

  • 5 cloves garlic, minced (about 5 teaspoons)

  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano, divided

  • 1 cup fresh cilantro, leaves chopped, tender stems finely chopped, divided

  • 2 cups long grain rice

  • 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning (optional)

  • 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads

  • 1 cup green olives

  • 3 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock

  • 1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes, puréed

  • 1 (14-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

  • Pinch granulated sugar

Directions

  1. In large Dutch oven or 12-inch straight sided skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat until shimmering. Brown sausage pieces on both sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer to plate.

  2. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place skin side down in pot. Cook until both sides are well browned, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to plate.

  3. Add 2 tablespoons oil, onion, bell pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to pot. Cook until vegetables have softened and are beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, 2 teaspoons oregano, and cilantro stems. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

  4. Stir in one tablespoon oil, rice, adobo (if using), and saffron threads. Cook, stirring, for one minute. Stir in olives, 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, sausage, and chicken broth. Tuck chicken pieces into rice and bring to simmer. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.

  5. In small saucepan, heat puréed tomatoes, garbanzo beans, remaining tablespoon oil, remaining teaspoon oregano, pinch sugar, and pinch salt over medium heat to simmer. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, season to taste, and serve on the side to spoon over rice.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1251Calories
82gFat
63gCarbs
65gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories1251
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 82g106%
Saturated Fat 20g99%
Cholesterol 244mg81%
Sodium 2464mg107%
Total Carbohydrate 63g23%
Dietary Fiber 11g38%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 65g
Vitamin C 70mg350%
Calcium 178mg14%
Iron 8mg46%
Potassium 1539mg33%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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