• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • ABOUT
  • Recipes
    • LOW CARB
    • Paleo
    • WHOLE 30
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
      • Salad
      • Sandwiches & Pizza
      • Quiches & Pies
    • Soups & Chili
    • Dinner
      • Poultry
      • Beef
      • Pork
      • Lamb
      • Fish & Seafood
    • Gluten Free Pasta
    • Healthy Spiralized Recipes
    • Vegetables & Salads
    • Appetizers & Side Dishes
    • Desserts
    • Smoothies & Drinks
  • LOW CARB
  • Chronic Fatigue
  • Resources
    • GF Living
    • Favorite Products
    • Reviews
    • Resources for Kids
    • Meal Plans
    • Celiac Disease
  • Wellness & Strength Training
    • Wellness
    • Strength Training
    • Health And Fitness Products We Use
  • Contact Us

Gluten Free Homestead

creating a healthier lifestyle

Signup for email updates here

Published October 1, 2016 | Last Updated July 10, 2021 By Barbara Bianchi 15 Comments

Quick One Pan Spanish Style Chicken With Cauliflower Rice

Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

This quick one pan, Spanish style chicken with cauliflower rice is super easy and big on flavor.

Quick One Pan Spanish Style Chicken With Cauliflower Rice


This recipe is a one-pan meal, which makes dinner super easy. I’ve prepared a free eBook of one-pan meals for you, so be sure to check out how to get your copy below!


Quick one pan meals are one of the best time-saving strategies for getting healthy meals on the table on busy weeknights. This quick one pan, Spanish style chicken with cauliflower rice is super easy and big on flavor.

This meal was inspired by a recipe that I found in a magazine while waiting in line at the supermarket. (Tell me I’m not the only one who leafs through food magazines while waiting in line.) But when I made the recipe at home, it wasn’t that tasty. Putting it nicely, it was pretty meh. It’s so disappointing when you try a new recipe and have high expectations, and it’s a loser.

No problem, I thought, maybe I can fix this. I tweaked it here and there and made it again. But this time, I went a little too heavy on the jalapeños. Like a five-alarm fire–hot. Please, get me another glass of water!

After making this dish three times, I humbly believe I’ve hit on a superb one pan, Spanish style chicken with cauliflower rice, and I’ve got to share it with you.

Tender juicy chicken is served over cauliflower rice that is tossed with sweet Spanish onions, sliced scallions and diced tomatoes. The cauliflower rice is seasoned with oregano, lots of garlic (you know that I love garlic), smoked paprika, and sliced green olives in a tomato sauce. It’s like a flavor party all in one pan.

cauliflower rice

Why did I choose to make this chicken with cauliflower rice?

Since rice is one of the few allowable grains on the gluten-free diet, we may tend to serve it up a lot as a side dish. Unfortunately, however, white rice doesn’t contain many nutrients and is rather high in starchy carbs.

Cauliflower, on the other hand, is considered a superfood as it’s rich in nutrients, vitamins (especially Vitamin C), minerals, and antioxidants. It’s said to help prevent cancer and boost heart health and brain health. More here.

If you’re following a paleo diet where rice is off-limits, cauliflower is the perfect replacement (and a much healthier choice too).

Quick One Pan Spanish Style Chicken With Cauliflower Rice

How To Make Quick One Pan Spanish Style Chicken With Cauliflower Rice

*Free printable recipe card is available at the end of the post.

Here’s the quick and easy way to turn cauliflower into a rice substitute:

But first, make sure to prep all of your ingredients before you start cooking because this dish comes together fast. Dice up the onion, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, and garlic. Pound the chicken with a meat tenderizer and season it with salt and pepper.

Once that’s done, pulse a few cauliflower florets at a time in your food processor until the cauliflower pieces are the size of rice. Transfer to a dish and set aside.

Now that the cauliflower is prepared, you’re ready to start cooking. First, sear the chicken breasts in oil. I like to use avocado oil because it has a very high smoke point. You could also use olive oil, but just be sure it doesn’t smoke. Once the chicken breasts are browned on one side transfer them to a dish.

Add some more oil and sauté the onion with a little salt in that same pan until tender. Then you’ll add your tomato sauce, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, and cayenne pepper (I just couldn’t resist. If you don’t want heat, you can leave the cayenne out).  Stir it around scraping up all those little brown bits. Mmm. You can just smell the wonderful combination of spices now.

Stir in the ground cauliflower incorporating the sauce and spices through and through.

Tuck the chicken breasts seared side up into the pan with the cauliflower. Pour the juices from the chicken into the pan, as well. Now reduce the flame to medium-low, cover, and cook about 10-12 minutes until the inside temperature of the chicken registers 160℉ with a meat thermometer.

Your chicken is perfectly juicy now and done. Transfer it to a cutting board and let it cool a little before slicing.

Finally, add your tomatoes, scallions, and olives to the cauliflower in the pan and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes.

Quick One Pan Spanish Style Chicken With Cauliflower Rice

Chicken breasts are a little thick so I like to slice them in half. I also drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil on the chicken. Serve your chicken over the cauliflower rice and garnish with cilantro. Here’s the bonus of this dish: it’s all made in one pan which makes clean up super easy.

Pro Tips And Recipe Notes

  • In this recipe, we drizzle a little oil on the chicken before serving. The best variety extra-virgin olive oil to pair with this chicken is produced from the Picual olive. Here’s an organic gold award winner from Spain.
  • In you food processor fitted with the large chopping blade, pulse your cauliflower a few florets at a time (no higher than the top of the blade) just until it is minced. 
  • Can you use store bought cauliflower rice? Yes. It would save on clean up and time, but I’ve found that it’s not as fresh tasting. Perhaps frozen cauliflower rice would be better, but I haven’t tried it.

Enjoy! Have a happy and healthy weekend!

If you enjoy this recipe, you might also enjoy my ebook One-Pan Meals that has many more easy and delicious recipes for you to try using just one pan so you won’t have to spend hours cleaning dishes.

Subscribe & Get the One-Pan Meals eCookbook as a welcome gift

plus email updates letting you know when new recipes and articles are published.

Your request has been accepted! Please check your inbox for a verification message.

Your data is collected, used, and protected in accordance with the privacy policy. Unsubscribe at any time.

you might also like these chicken recipes:

Keto chicken piccata

Easy marinated chicken breasts

Grainless crispy chicken nuggets

Bacon wrapped barbecue chicken

Gluten Free Chicken Wings (Keto, Low Carb, And Paleo)

Want to save this recipe? Pin it!

 

Easy One-Pan Spanish style chicken | cauliflower rice | one pan meal | gluten free recipe | paleo recipe | chicken recipe

Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Quick One Pan Spanish Style Chicken With Cauliflower Rice

This quick one pan, Spanish style chicken with cauliflower rice is super easy and big on flavor.
Course Dinner
Cuisine Spanish style
Keyword keto cauliflower rice recipes, Keto chicken, Spanish style chicken
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 445kcal
Author Barbara Bianchi

Ingredients

  • ¾ pound cauliflower florets
  • 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts, tenderized
  • 3 tablespoons avocado oil divided
  • 1 cup diced Spanish onion
  • 3 cloves garlic sliced
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
  • 1/2 cup gluten free marinara sauce homemade or store bought
  • 2 Roma tomatoes diced
  • 1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives sliced
  • 2 scallions sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • extra-virgin olive oil EVOO

Instructions

  • Pulse a few cauliflower florets at a time in your food processor until the cauliflower pieces are the size of rice. Transfer to a dish and set aside.
  • To tenderize chicken, place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and use a mallet-type meat tenderizer to pound each piece. Dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Sear the chicken breasts for about 4 minutes on one side. Transfer them to a dish.
  • Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the pan and sauté the onion with a teaspoon of salt in that same pan for 5 minutes.
  • Add sauce, garlic, paprika, oregano, and cayenne pepper (optional). Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Stir it around scraping up all those little brown bits.
  • Stir in the ground cauliflower incorporating the sauce and spices throughout.
  • Tuck the chicken breasts seared side up into the pan with the cauliflower. Pour the juices from the chicken into the pan, as well. Now reduce the flame to medium-low, cover, and cook about 10-12 minutes until the inside temperature of the chicken registers 160℉ with a meat thermometer.
  • Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let it cool a little before slicing.
  • Finally, add your tomatoes, scallions, and olives to the cauliflower in the pan and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes.
  • Slice each chicken breast in half and serve over the cauliflower rice. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and garnish with cilantro.

Notes

  • In this recipe, we drizzle a little oil on the chicken before serving. The best variety extra-virgin olive oil to pair with this chicken is produced from the Picual olive. Here's an organic gold award winner from Spain.
  • In you food processor fitted with the large chopping blade, pulse your cauliflower a few florets at a time (no higher than the top of the blade) just until it is minced. 
  • Can you use store bought cauliflower rice? Yes. It would save on clean up and time, but I've found that it's not as fresh tasting. Perhaps frozen cauliflower rice would be better, but I haven't tried it.

Nutrition

Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 11.2g
did you make this recipe? We want to see! Take a pic, and tag @glutenfreehomestead on Instagram.

Nutrition-Label-Embed-one pan spanish chicken

  • About the Author
  • Latest Posts

About Barbara Bianchi

Barbara loves to bring fun into the kitchen and healthy food to the table. She also enjoys drinking coffee, eating a little chocolate, reading a good novel, going for walks and spending time with her family and friends.
  • Gluten Free Chicken And Broccoli Stir Fry - March 25, 2022
  • Flourless Chocolate Cake With Video - February 8, 2022
  • Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies - November 30, 2021
  • Pumpkin Spice Pancakes (Gluten Free) - November 19, 2021
  • Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (Egg Free) - November 5, 2021
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Gmail

Hungry for more?

Sign up and I'll send you my eCookbook, Top 10 Recipes as a welcome gift

plus new articles and recipes delivered fresh to your inbox!

Your request has been accepted! Please check your inbox for a verification message.

Your data is collected, used, and protected in accordance with the privacy policy. Unsubscribe at any time.

Filed Under: Chicken And Turkey Recipes, Dairy free, Dinner, Egg free, LOW CARB, Paleo, Recipe, WHOLE 30

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. candy says

    October 7, 2016 at 5:32 pm

    I just made cauliflower mashed and now rice. Adding this to my list.

    Reply
    • Barbara says

      October 11, 2016 at 10:34 pm

      Cauliflower is so versatile. I love cauliflower mashed. Enjoy, Candy.

      Reply
  2. Sara says

    October 9, 2016 at 8:23 pm

    This looks so good–can’t wait to try it. I love the taste of Spanish rice and look forward to trying it with cauliflower.

    Reply
    • Barbara says

      October 11, 2016 at 10:35 pm

      Thanks, Sara. I think you’re going to love this.

      Reply
  3. Dionna Chambers says

    October 10, 2016 at 2:36 am

    This is delicious. I am inspired to cook and lead a healthy lifestyle by recipes like this. Thank you for posting!

    Reply
    • Barbara says

      October 11, 2016 at 10:37 pm

      I love hearing that, Dionna. I’m so glad that you enjoyed this post.

      Reply
  4. Raia says

    October 11, 2016 at 12:10 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing this with us at Allergy Free Thursdays. It sounds delicious!

    Reply
    • Barbara says

      October 11, 2016 at 11:05 pm

      Thanks, Raia!

      Reply
  5. Austin says

    October 23, 2016 at 6:07 pm

    YUM! My son is GF, and this is something I think he would totally enjoy. I think using the cauliflower rice with the seasonings makes it not look like cauliflower as much and a way I can get a vegetable he usually would avoid. I have added it to my meal plan this week. Thanks for a yummy, healthy, GF meal!

    Reply
    • Barbara says

      November 13, 2016 at 3:28 pm

      Excellent, Austin. My kids love cauliflower this way.

      Reply
  6. Talia B. says

    October 25, 2016 at 7:57 pm

    The Spanish chicken sounds yummy! I would serve it with regular rice here. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Barbara says

      November 13, 2016 at 3:27 pm

      There you go, Talia. I hope you love it.

      Reply
  7. Athena says

    January 7, 2017 at 1:08 am

    Totally getting me excited to cook dinner again.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Oval Blog says:
    July 17, 2017 at 4:26 pm

    Great For Timesaving Onepan

    […] lly would avoid. I have added it to my meal plan this week. Thanks for a yummy, […]

    Reply
  2. Cauliflower Rice with Bacon - Gluten Free Homestead says:
    October 24, 2019 at 10:13 pm

    […] Quick One Pan Spanish Style Chicken With Cauliflower Rice […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hi! We’re Barbara & John. Here you'll find delicious gluten-free and low-carb recipes plus strength training tips, our strategies to beat chronic fatigue, and hints for aging-well to help you live the healthy life you desire. Read more here. 

...

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

-1 Corinthians 10:31

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

Let’s be friends!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Bursting With Flavor

Get the Cookbook!

“I’ve enjoyed making a number of these recipes and love the beautiful, appetizing-looking pictures. And the fact that they’re low-carb is all the better! When I discover people who are looking for gluten-free or low-carb recipes—or who are just wanting to try something new—I love recommending Barbara’s recipes.”

—Barbara C.

Get the app!

Download GF Recipe Book PRO app

Trending

The 10 Most Important Strategies I Used To Beat Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Part 1

Why We Bought a Sleep EZ 100% Natural Latex Mattress [Review]

Free eBook!

Get this information-packed eBook as a subscriber freebie!

Your request has been accepted! Please check your inbox for a verification message.

Your data is collected, used, and protected in accordance with the privacy policy. Unsubscribe at any time.

Footer

Affiliates Disclaimer

The Gluten Free Homestead receives a small commission from the sales made through our affiliate links. However, we only promote affiliate products we use or support wholeheartedly. The commissions received through your purchases help maintain this site. Thank you for your support!

Medical Disclaimer

Nothing you read on this site should be construed as medical advice. All blog posts are solely our personal experiences and opinions, and should not be interpreted as an attempt to offer a medical opinion or otherwise engage in the practice of medicine. See more here.

Privacy Policy

This privacy policy sets out how Gluten Free Homestead uses and protects any information that you give while using www.glutenfreehomestead.com See more here.

Copyright © 2022 · Brunch Pro Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in