Arroz Meloso de Pollo y Judías Verdes (Soupy Spanish Chicken and Green Bean Rice)
Saffron rice cooked in a rich sofrito broth with tender chicken and green beans, creamy and spoonable rather than dry.
Made with Homemade chicken stock and Spanish sofrito. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time45 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £3.01 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Warm the homemade chicken stock in a pan with the saffron and keep it at a gentle simmer on the back of the hob.
- 2
Heat the olive oil in a wide, deep pan or casserole over a medium-high heat. Season the chicken with the salt and brown it for 6 minutes, turning.
6 min - 3
Stir in your ready made sofrito (see the base recipe) and the paprika and cook for 3 minutes until it darkens and smells rich.
3 min - 4
Add the rice and stir for 1 minute so every grain is coated. Pour in all the hot saffron stock, stir once and bring to a simmer.
1 min - 5
Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the green beans. Cook for 8 minutes more, until the rice is tender and the pan is thick and soupy, like a loose risotto.
18 min - 6
Turn off the heat, cover and rest for 5 minutes. Serve in bowls with lemon wedges.
5 min
Tips
- Meloso means honeyed or silky. Unlike paella, you stir this rice, so the starch makes the broth creamy.
- Keep the stock hot when it goes in. Cold stock stops the rice cooking evenly and makes it gluey.
- Bomba rice absorbs a lot of liquid without going mushy. Arborio works if you cannot find it, but cook it a minute less.
- Add a spoonful of garlic mayonnaise or a squeeze of lemon at the table for a lift.
Storing and freezing
Keeps in the fridge for up to 1 day. Cool within 1 to 2 hours, reheat only once and make sure it is steaming hot all the way through, adding a splash of stock, as rice can carry harmful bacteria if left warm.
Questions
What is the difference between arroz meloso and paella?
Paella is a dry rice with a crust (socarrat) at the base. Arroz meloso is stirred, wetter and creamier, closer to a risotto in texture. Arroz caldoso is wetter still, more like a soup.
Can I use chicken breast?
Yes, but cut it into larger pieces and add it later so it stays juicy. Thighs stay tender in the simmering broth and are the better choice.
Can I make this dairy free and gluten free?
Yes, it already is. It contains only rice, vegetables, chicken, oil and stock, with no dairy or wheat, as long as the stock and sofrito are made without them.
More made with homemade chicken stock
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.