Spanish Chicken Soup Recipe
This Spanish Chicken Soup Recipe gives you a delightful combination of smokiness, warmth, and savory notes. It starts with chicken thighs that are seasoned with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika for a subtle smokiness and warming spiciness. Then carrots, onions, celery, garlic, tomato paste and stock are added. Finally the chicken is shredded and added back with rice to the soup. The combination of chicken, vegetables, and rice creates a hearty and savory taste that’s satisfying and comforting.
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
Spice Rub for Chicken
- 3 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (optional)
All Other Ingredients
- 1 cup White Long Grain Rice, uncooked
- 2 lbs Chicken Thighs, bone-in, with skin
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 Carrot, Large, diced
- 1 Celery Stalk
- 1 Medium Yellow Onions
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Tomato, large (beefsteak or vine) (or 1 can diced tomatoes)
- 3 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- 5 cups Chicken broth or chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 4 tablespoon Chopped Italian Parsley
Instructions
Prep Ahead Steps
- In a small bowl, mix the spice rub ingredients.
- Dice the carrots, celery, and onion. Mince the garlic. Chop the tomato into large chunks. Chop the parsley.
- Measure out the tomato paste. Make the chicken broth if using bouillon.
Cook the Chicken and Soup
- Cook the rice either according to the package instructions or like this... Rinse the rice under water in a strainer until the water runs clear. Add to 2 cups of water with a pinch of salt and bring up to a boil. Turn the water down to a low simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Once the rice is done, turn off the heat, but leave the pot covered and undisturbed until you are ready to use. (NOTE: you can do this step ahead and store the rice in the fridge. Just warm it up before adding it to the pot in the step below).
- Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and season the thighs all over with the spice rub. Rub it in with fingers.
- In a 5-quart oven safe dutch oven or deep pot/pan with lid, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on high heat. Add the chicken thighs skin-side down and leave them alone for 5-6 minutes without touching so they get a nice sear. After five minutes, turn the chicken over and sear the other side for another 5 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- To the same pot, add the carrots, celery, and onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes until they are glistening and starting to soften.
- Then add the garlic, chopped tomato, half of the parsley, tomato paste, chicken broth, salt, smoked paprika, and the chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 20-30 minutes until the carrots are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken to a plate and using forks, remove and discard the skin, then pull the chicken from the bone shred it. Discard the bones and add the shredded chicken back to the pot along with the cooked rice.
- Garnish with remaining parsley. Serve and Enjoy!
