Arroz con albóndigas | Spanish rice with chicken meatballs

In a bowl, combine the minced chicken with one finely minced garlic clove, half of the chopped parsley, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of ground black pepper. Mix well and shape into small round meatballs (about the size of a walnut). Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan and brown the meatballs over medium heat for 5–6 minutes until they form a golden crust. Transfer them to a plate and set aside.

In the same pan, add the remaining olive oil if needed, then sauté the finely chopped onion and finely diced bell pepper for 4–5 minutes until softened. Add the rest of the minced garlic and a teaspoon of smoked paprika, stirring quickly for 30 seconds to release the aroma without burning the paprika.

Add the tomato purée and simmer the sauce gently for 2–3 minutes until slightly reduced. Stir in the round-grain rice and stir continuously for 1–2 minutes, allowing the rice grains to become translucent and absorb all the flavours of the sofrito base.