I’ll openly admit that I’ve tried to make paella on more than one occasion and failed miserably. It’s probably a combination of not having the right paella pan or not using the correct method, but I can never get it to turn out quite right. That being said, I still love the concept of cooking rice with a bunch of other super flavorful ingredients in one pot, so this Spanish Chickpeas and Rice, which is loosely based on paella, was born. No expensive seafood or saffron, but still tons of flavor in one dish.
P.S. You can make this in a rice cooker! Check out my recipe for the Rice Cooker Spanish Chickpeas and Rice.
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No Meat, Still Tons of Flavor
I wanted to go vegetarian for this recipe, so I subbed chickpeas for the meat and seafood usually found in paella. I added plenty of spices like smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne, and oregano (flavors you’d normally find in chorizo), to make sure this dish had plenty going on. Artichoke hearts added flavor and texture, and helped make this dish more of a one pot meal than just a rice and bean pilaf. A little fresh lemon on top brightens the whole dish and gives it a slightly summery feel.
The results were stunning, both in flavor and appearance. I can definitely see myself making this Spanish Chickpeas and Rice over and over and trying new add-ins each time (spinach is next on my list!).
Can I Freeze Spanish Chickpeas and Rice?
Yes! This is a very freezer friendly dish. Just portion the recipe out into single serving containers, chill it completely in the refrigerator first, then transfer to the freezer later. This dish will last about 4-5 days in the refrigerator, or about 3 months in the freezer.
What Type of Skillet Should I Use?
It’s very important to use a thick, heavy cookware for one pot dishes like this. Thin pots and pans don’t transmit heat evenly, which may cause the rice to be undercooked in some areas and overcooked in others. I am using an OXO stainless steel deep covered skillet from this set (affiliate link), but a more affordable option could be something like Covered Fry Pan from Calphalon (affiliate link).
Looking for something to serve on the side with your Spanish Chickpeas and Rice? Try my Lemon Pepper Zucchini!
Spanish Chickpeas and Rice
Servings 4 (1.5 cups each)Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika ($0.15)
- 1 tsp ground cumin ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.02)
- Freshly cracked black pepper ($0.05)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.36)
- 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice ($0.33)
- 1 15oz. can diced tomatoes ($0.79)
- 1 15oz. can quartered artichoke hearts ($2.50)
- 1 15oz. can chickpeas ($1.89)
- 1.5 cups vegetable broth* ($0.18)
- 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste) ($0.02)
- 1/4 bunch fresh parsley ($0.22)
- 1 fresh lemon ( $0.25)
Instructions
- Mince the garlic and add it to a large deep skillet along with the olive oil. Cook over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until soft and fragrant. Add the smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, and some freshly cracked black pepper to the skillet. Stir and sauté the spices in the hot oil for one more minute.
- Dice the onion and add it to the skillet. Sauté the onion until it is soft and translucent (about 5 min). Add the rice and sauté for 2 minutes more.
- Drain the chickpeas and artichoke hearts, then add them to the skillet along with the can of diced tomatoes (with juices), vegetable broth, and a half teaspoon of salt. Roughly chop the parsley and add it to the skillet, reserving a small amount to sprinkle over the finished dish. Stir all the ingredients in the skillet until evenly combined.
- Place a lid on the skillet and turn the heat up to medium-high. Allow the skillet to come to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low and let simmer for 20 minutes. Make sure it’s simmering the whole time and adjust the heat up slightly if necessary to keep it simmering.
- After simmering for 20 minutes, turn the heat off and let it rest for 5 minutes without removing the lid. Finally, remove the lid, fluff with a fork and top with the remaining chopped parsley. Cut the lemon into wedges and squeeze the fresh juice over each bowl.
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Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Spanish Chickpeas and Rice – Step by Step Photos
Start by mincing two cloves of garlic. Sauté the garlic in 2 Tbsp of olive oil, in a large deep skillet, over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic is soft and fragrant. (Dice one yellow onion while the garlic is sautéing.)
Add 1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, and some freshly cracked pepper (10-15 cranks of a pepper mill) to the skillet.
Sauté the spices in the hot oil for about a minute. This toasts the spices and brings out their maximum flavor.
Add the diced onion to the skillet and continue to sauté until the onion is soft and transparent (5 minutes or so).
Add one cup of uncooked long-grain white rice to the skillet. Stir and cook the rice for about two minutes. It should sound like it is snap, crackling, and popping. This toasts the rice and gives it a bit of extra flavor.
Drain one 15oz can of chickpeas and 1 15oz. can of quartered artichoke hearts. Add both to the skillet along with one 15oz. can of diced tomatoes, with all its juices.
Finally, add 1.5 cups of vegetable broth. Roughly chop about 1/4 bunch of parsley. Reserve a small amount of the parsley to sprinkle over the finished dish, and add the rest to the skillet. Stir all the ingredients together until evenly combined.
Place a lid on the skillet and turn the heat up to medium-high. Allow the skillet to come up to a boil, then turn it down to low. Let it simmer over low for 20 minutes. Make sure the skillet is simmering the whole time and adjust the heat up slightly if needed to keep it simmering. After it simmers for 20 minutes, turn the heat off and let it sit undisturbed with the lid in place for five more minutes. Then it should look like the photo above.
Fluff the rice with a fork and top with the reserved parsley. Cut the lemon into quarters and squeeze the juice over each serving. Your Spanish Chickpeas and Rice is now complete!
Beans and rice never tasted so good…
I really wanted to like to this recipe, but the technique is completely off! both times I made it, it burned the bottom of my skillet and the rice was still uncooked. Next time I will do differently and have the rice pre cooked to avoid this and waste food. I’m from a country where we eat rice every day religiously so I knew that the method suggested was off but trusted the blogger. I’m sorry but I’m not trying any other recipe from your website and won’t recommend it to others.
I love her recipes, my kids enjoy them too. I like that she uses very day to day ingredients and and not expensive ones that you rarely use. You should give her another chance 😊
I have made this many times and I wonder if you’re turning the stove too high or not using enough liquid? I have made with white and brown rice with both turning out really well. So sorry it burned though! And always trust your instincts if you feel your stove or oven cooks differently than whoever wrote a recipe:) not all work alike I have found from many a rental oven/stove.
My whole family loved this! I subbed fresh cauliflower florets for artichokes, and they cooked up nicely with the 20 minutes of simmering time. I kept everything else the same, and it turned out great. My child even proclaimed she likes garbanzo beans now! Woo hoo!
This is becoming a regular meal prep for me, it’s so easy, tasty, and filling.
Me and my Husband’s go to meal when we don’t know what to cook. Simple and delicious one pot recipe!
Made this tonight and it was so tasty! I added in some chorizo and diced courgettes and it was fab! Will definitely make again but perhaps add some chillis for more heat next time x
I love this recipe and have made it several times. The only change I’ve made is adding chopped green olives, it just gives it an extra bit of flavor! Thank you for being amazing, your website is always my first stop when I’m looking for a new recipe!
Ooh love green olives! Great addition Maegan.
Yum! I made this tonight and husband and I both loved it. I added grilled chicken which was left over from another meal and also used brown rice. I cooked the brown rice on the stove and added it and the chicken the last 15-20 minutes of cooking. The lemon juice at the end was the perfect touch. Will definitely make again.
Thanks, Beth. I’m going to try this soon! Looks and sounds delicious.
I wasn’t impressed with this recipe. It was easy to put together using ingredients I already had (I added some frozen peas and cauliflower). The finished dish wasn’t bad—it was a simple, nourishing meal, not at all memorable, and not something we will try again. I will say that Beth’s website is one of my favorites, and I appreciate how clear and reliable her recipes are.
Ive made this more times than I can count, its always delicious. The last several times I switched to brown rice, upped the broth to 2 cups & cooked it 15 min longer. Turns out great.
Thanks for the info about the brown rice! I was wondering how to adjust the liquids and time to compensate for how brown rice cooks.
This was so tasty and filled my kitchen with such a wonderful aroma! I didn’t have artichokes or lemons on hand so I used avocado and limes instead. This recipe is a keeper.
This was delicious!! Will definitely be making again! I think I’m going to try it in the instant pot, mainly because I prefer brown rice but I’m not patient enough to simmer it for so long. Hoping it’ll be just as delicious!
I made this tonight with a few changes. I used regular paprika since I didn’t have smoked, and I added some turmeric. I’m not a fan of artichoke hearts or white rice so I used cauliflower, peas, and brown rice. I had to simmer it about 10 minutes longer but it was worth the wait. This is an easy and delicious meal!
This stuff is amazing; so tasty and filling. The only thing I did differently was chop up the artichoke hearts because I don’t like them big and I used 2 teaspoons of olive oil instead of 2 tablespoons since I’m on a weight loss plan. Progresso makes a 19 oz can of chickpeas which they carry at my local grocery store. Score! The smoked paprika is perfect in here as well as the heat from the cayenne. I’ve made this twice as weekly lunch prep and it reheats very well. Dieting is easier with delicious, filling, foods like this!
I made this today and found the rice didn’t cook completely next time i would probably cook the rice till half way done and then add it!
I made this tonight. It was easy and delicious!