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Meat, European

Chicken chilindrón with rice

Chicken chilindrón is a Spanish stew of chicken thighs, red peppers, tomatoes, and cured ham, served with rice. For 4 people, it takes 1 hour, is rated easy, and costs about €3.00 per person. The key is browning the chicken well and letting the peppers melt slowly into the tomato sauce.

Tonight, Aragon comes to dinner with a chicken chilindrón, simmered with red peppers, tomatoes, and cured ham, served with rice.

Chicken chilindrón with rice
Total time
1 h
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.00
Calories per person
550 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

This dish smells like the south of Spain the moment the peppers start softening in the pot. The tomato sauce, seasoned with sweet paprika and deepened by cured ham, coats tender chicken thighs. Plain white rice on the side soaks up that sauce and brings the comforting touch everyone at the table enjoys.

It's simple enough for a weeknight, yet generous enough to serve guests on a Sunday without any stress. Kids like the mild sweetness of the peppers and rice, while adults pick up on the faint smokiness from the ham. Mon Chou suggests this dish in summer or fall, when red peppers are at their plumpest and sweetest.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken thighs 4
  • Cured ham 100 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Red peppers 3
  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 3 cloves

Pantry

  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Sweet paprikaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the ham into strips, slice the peppers, and finely chop the onion and garlic.

    Rinse the seeds out of the peppers under running water so none get left behind.

  2. Brown the chicken thighs in a Dutch oven with the olive oil, then set them aside. 10 min

    Well browned chicken gives the sauce more depth.

  3. In the same pot, cook the onion, garlic, ham, and peppers until softened. 12 min

    Stir occasionally and scrape the bottom, the browned bits from the chicken flavor the vegetables.

  4. Add the tomatoes and paprika, return the chicken to the pot, cover, and let it simmer gently. 30 min

    Uncover near the end of cooking if the sauce looks too thin, it will reduce.

  5. Cook the rice in salted water, drain it, and serve alongside the chicken topped with sauce. 12 min

    Keep the hot cooking water nearby to loosen rice that dries out.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use a pot wide enough for the chicken and vegetables to sit in a single layer, the sauce reduces more evenly that way.
  • Let it simmer low and covered for the full time, that slow cooking is what melts the peppers into the sauce and tenderizes the chicken.
  • Taste the sauce before serving, since cured ham is already salty, add salt sparingly.

The variations

  • Swap the cured ham for mild chorizo slices for a smokier, spicier flavor.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the chicken and ham, double the peppers, and add cooked chickpeas for texture.
  • To save time, use boneless chicken thighs, which only need about 20 minutes of simmering instead of 30.

What to serve it with

  • Crusty bread for the sauce
  • A fresh green salad
  • Sparkling lemon water

Storage

Chicken chilindrón keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well, without the rice, for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in a pan or pot with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.

Questions about this dish

Can you make chicken chilindrón ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually better reheated the next day, since the sauce has time to soak into the chicken. Cook the dish through the simmering step and save the rice for just before serving.

Can you use fresh tomatoes instead of crushed canned tomatoes?

Yes, use about 500g of ripe fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped. It will take a bit longer for the water to cook off and the sauce to thicken.

Is this dish good for kids?

Yes, despite its name, the sauce is mild and not spicy at all. You can simply pick out the ham strips from their plate if they prefer a plainer version.

What kind of peppers work best?

Deep red, fleshy peppers give the best result, since they melt down and naturally sweeten the sauce. Avoid green peppers, which are firmer and more bitter for this dish.

How long does it take to make a chicken chilindrón with rice?

Count 1 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a chicken chilindrón with rice?

About 550 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a chicken chilindrón with rice cost?

About €3.00 per serving, or €12.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains none of the major allergens tracked by Mon Chou. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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