A soupy, saffron-scented Spanish rice dish with chicken and vegetables, brothier and more forgiving than paella.
Arroz caldoso is a looser, brothier cousin of paella from Spain's Levante coast, meant to be eaten with a spoon rather than a fork, the rice simmering in far more liquid than a traditional dry paella. Chicken pieces are browned first to build a savory base, then simmered with a saffron-infused broth, tomato and vegetables before the rice goes in to absorb the flavorful liquid without ever fully drying out. Unlike paella, which demands precision to develop the prized socarrat crust, arroz caldoso is comfortingly forgiving — a good one simply needs a rich broth and rice cooked until tender but still holding its shape in the soupy liquid.
Serves 4
Heat olive oil in a wide, deep pan and brown chicken thighs on both sides, about 10 minutes total; remove and set aside.
Cook onion and red pepper in the same pan until softened, about 10 minutes, then add garlic, tomato, saffron and smoked paprika, cooking 5 minutes until thickened.
Pour in the chicken stock, add salt, and return the chicken to the pan; bring to a simmer and cook 15 minutes.
Stir in the rice and simmer uncovered 18-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender but the dish remains soupy.
Keep enough liquid in the pot throughout — arroz caldoso should stay brothy, unlike drier paella styles.
Let the dish rest 5 minutes off the heat before serving; the rice will continue absorbing a little liquid.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley.
Keep plenty of stock in the pot throughout cooking — this dish is meant to be brothy and soupy, unlike a dry paella.
Bloom the saffron briefly in a small splash of warm stock before adding it if you want maximum color and aroma.
Use short-grain rice like bomba or arborio, which holds its shape better in a brothy dish than long-grain rice.
A seafood version substitutes shrimp, mussels and squid for the chicken, adding them only in the final few minutes.
Some versions add green beans or peas for extra vegetables and color.
A rabbit version is traditional in some inland regions of Spain.
Refrigerate up to 2 days; the rice will continue absorbing liquid as it sits, so add a splash of stock when reheating to loosen it back to a soupy consistency.
Arroz caldoso developed along Spain's eastern Levante coast as a looser, more everyday alternative to the more labor-intensive dry paella, prized for its comforting, soup-like quality especially in cooler weather.
Reduce the stock by about half and let it cook down further uncovered, though this changes the dish's essential character.
A pinch of turmeric plus smoked paprika gives a similar color, though you'll lose saffron's distinct floral aroma.
It was likely cooked too long or stirred too vigorously — simmer just until tender and stir gently, not constantly.
Per serving (420g / 14.8 oz) · 4 servings total
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