In every corner of the world, you can find international restaurants offering the most popular dishes from global cuisine. These food establishments usually have in their menu the most recognizable international meals. So, you can try at least one typical meal from, say Italy, Greece, Japan or Spain right in the same place.
However, if you want to taste specific international dishes, the best choice is to visit a specialty restaurant. These restaurants are frequently family-owned and specialize in traditional food from their countries.
In these places, you will discover a vast range of traditional meals that you would probably never tasted before.
For example, when you refer to Spanish cuisine, maybe you always remember any delicious Paella you have enjoyed and believe this is the only way Spanish people eat rice. But you are wrong.
Rice is also a staple food in Spain, and the dishes prepared with this versatile grain are endless. So, get ready to know different and delicious rice dishes branded in Spain.
Spanish rice specialties
Spanish cuisine’s basic ingredients are olive oil and garlic. Almost all dishes include these two components paired with vegetables, sausages, meats, seafood, pork, eggs, legumes, and strong herbs.
Apart from Paella, they create mouthwatering dishes like brave potatoes, gazpacho, fideua, pisto, tapas, Spanish tortillas, and so much more.
As for rice, Spanish cuisine expresses its native flavor in meals such as chicken and rice, oven-baked rice, rice and beans, Arròs a Banda, Arròs Negre, and others. They can be eaten as a complete dish or an accompaniment for beef, lamb or poultry.
- Chicken and rice: This is a well-known dish, and maybe you have a Spanish chicken and rice recipe. This is a quick and easy dish. It consists of a one-pot meal with chicken thighs, red peppers, onions, and peas.
- Oven-baked rice: It is fluffy and tender rice full of onions, garlic, and some kind of meat. Some versions include peas, vegetables, or mushrooms.
- Rice and beans: It is a nutritive and delightful one-pot meal. It varies from region to region because people use different types of rice and beans.
- Arròs a Banda: It is flavored rice cooked with fish broth and seafood.
- Arròs Negre: A tasteful rice colored with squid ink.
Cooking Spanish rice
As you can see, Spanish cuisine is much more than Paella. If you are trying to get familiar with other Spanish meals, enjoy cooking various rice recipes.
Start with these Spanish chicken and rice recipes and be surprised with all newly discovered Spanish flavors.
Spanish rice and chicken (4 servings)
Ingredients:
- 6 chicken thighs.
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
- 1 cup of white rice.
- 2 ¼ cups of chicken broth.
- 1 lemon juice.
- Chopped cilantro to taste.
For making a Spanish seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon of coriander.
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin.
- 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika.
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- 1 teaspoon of salt.
- 1 teaspoon of chili powder.
Preparation:
- Prepare the Spanish seasoning, mix in bowl coriander, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and chili powder. Reserve.
- In a bowl, place chicken thighs, and season with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and half of the Spanish seasoning. Make sure the seasoning covers the entire chicken.
- In a saucepan, add vegetable oil and cook chicken until it is browned on both sides.
- Incorporate rice, chicken broth, lemon juice, and the remaining Spanish seasoning. Stir very well.
- Put a lid on the saucepan, and cook until the broth is absorbed completely.
- Serve with lemon slices and cilantro.
Baked chicken, chorizo, and rice (4 servings)
Ingredients:
- 8 small skinless chicken thighs
- 1 1/3 cups of white medium-grain rice.
- 1 chopped onion.
- 1 diced red capsicum.
- 1 sliced chorizo.
- 25 grams of butter.
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
- 2 crushed garlic cloves.
- 1 tablespoon of paprika.
- 1 can of crushed tomatoes.
- 1 1/4 cups of chicken broth.
- 1/2 cup of lemon juice.
- 1 cup of frozen peas.
- Salt to taste.
- Chopped parsley leaves to serve.
- Lemon slices to serve.
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven at 200 °C.
- In a baking tray, add onion, capsicum, and chorizo. Try to distribute them evenly in the tray.
- Drizzle butter and olive oil all over them, and bake for 20 minutes.
- Then, take out the baking tray and incorporate garlic, paprika, and chicken. Bake again for 10 minutes.
- Now incorporate rice, tomatoes, broth, lemon juice, and salt. Stir very well. Cook for 30 minutes, until chicken is browned.
- Incorporate peas and bake for 5 more minutes.
- Serve with parsley and lemon slices on the top.
