Easy Spanish chicken

Why this dinner works

Most weeknight one-pot dinners ask you to choose between two evils: a five-ingredient bowl that tastes like the inside of a saucepan, or a recipe so layered it eats your entire evening. Easy Spanish chicken sits comfortably in the middle. It draws on Spanish traditions where building flavor in stages — aromatics, then spice, then the slow swell of liquid into starch — is just how dinner gets made on a regular Tuesday.

The whole thing comes together in about 43 minutes in a single skillet, which means dinner from idea to table is shorter than most podcast episodes. We've leaned on the everyday 12 ingredients listed below, but in the notes after the recipe you'll find the small swaps and shortcuts that make this dish forgiving when your fridge is half-empty.

Method

1. Step 1. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onion, chorizo and peppers along with a pinch of salt and pepper for 15 mins until the veg has softened and the chorizo has released its oils. Add the paprika and garlic, and cook for another few minutes until fragrant.
2. Step 2. Tip in the chopped tomatoes, olives and butter beans, stir to combine and season. Nestle in the chicken thighs and season well. Transfer to the oven and bake for 40 mins until the chicken skin is crisp and the meat cooked through and tender. Scatter with the parsley and serve.
3. Step 3. Watch after ad (0.04):
4. Step 4. 3 Budget Egg Ideas

Cook's notes

One pan, fewer dishes. Use the widest, heaviest skillet you own with a tight-fitting lid. The wider base means faster browning at the start; the lid traps the gentle steam that finishes the dish without scorching the bottom.

Salt as you go. Season the aromatics, season the protein, season the liquid before it reduces. By the time you taste at the end, the only adjustment is usually acid — a squeeze of lemon, a splash of vinegar, a final crack of pepper.

Make it ahead. Like most one-pot dinners with spanish roots, the leftovers are arguably better the next day. Cool quickly, refrigerate within two hours, and reheat gently with a splash of water or stock to loosen things back up.

Pairings & serving

This one feels best in a 6-bowl spread with a sharp green salad and something cold to drink. If you want to stretch it for unexpected company, double the liquid and a single starchy ingredient — rice, pasta, potatoes, depending on the recipe — and the whole pan grows without much extra work.

Watch it cooked

If you're a visual learner, there's a free walkthrough of this dish on YouTube.

Original recipe inspiration: source.