There’s a special kind of dinner where everything goes into the same dish, and the smell does the work for you. Chorizo rice in a baking dish is exactly that kind of meal: spicy Spanish sausage, rice, chopped tomatoes and stock, left to cook together in hot air until the rice has soaked up every last drop of flavour.
Advertisement: The page displays ads and contains advertising links (affiliate links). See our advertisers here.
The clever part is that the air fryer makes the dish both faster and more intense than a regular oven. The fat from the chorizo melts into the tomato sauce and turns the rice orange, and the edges of the dish get that slightly caramelised rim that’s the whole point of a baked rice dish. From the moment you take the bag of rice out to the moment there’s food on the table, 65 minutes pass — and the dish looks after itself for 45 of them.
Table of Contents:
Why I love chorizo rice in a baking dish in the air fryer
A baked rice dish is one of the few recipes where the air fryer isn’t just a shortcut but actually produces a better result. The circulating heat hits the surface constantly, so the top layer of rice dries out slightly and turns crisp, while the bottom simmers away in stock and tomato. You get two textures in the same dish without stirring even once.
At the same time, chorizo is a sausage that gives a lot back for very little work. It’s already seasoned with paprika and garlic, so you don’t need to build up flavour from scratch — you just need to give it enough heat to release its fat. That happens quickly at 180 °C for the first eight minutes, after which the temperature can drop to 170 °C, giving the rice time to cook through without catching on the bottom.
The difference between an air fryer and a regular oven
A regular oven typically takes a good quarter of an hour just to reach temperature, and the heat spreads more slowly. The air fryer is hot almost instantly and blows air straight down onto the dish, so evaporation happens faster. That means the ratio of rice to stock needs to be generous — but it also means the dish is done faster than you’re used to from the oven. And you avoid heating up the whole kitchen on a summer evening.
My kitchen test of chorizo rice in a baking dish
I’ve made this dish half a dozen times in my Philips XXL, because a baking dish needs space, and the large basket is one of the few where a regular dish fits without squeezing. What ended up working was starting hot and turning the temperature down: 180 °C for the first eight minutes gets the chorizo to release its fat and colour the tomatoes, then 170 °C for the rest of the 45 minutes of cooking.
The final five minutes of resting outside the air fryer aren’t just for show. The rice in the middle is still absorbing liquid when you take the dish out, and if you serve it straight away, the dish will look wetter than it actually is. After five minutes, the liquid has redistributed, and you can cut the dish into neat portions. Allow 15 minutes for prep, which brings the whole dish to 65 minutes from start to table.
Turn the heat down from 180 to 170 degrees once the chorizo has released its fat — that way the rice finishes cooking instead of catching at the edge.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The typical mistakes and how to avoid them
The mistake I see most often is too little liquid. Rice evaporates faster in the air fryer than in the oven, and if the ratio is too tight, you end up with hard grains in the middle and a dry crust on top — stick to the amount of stock the recipe states, even if it looks like plenty at first. The next mistake is packing the dish too full: a layer of rice more than a couple of centimetres thick can’t cook through in 45 minutes, so it’s better to use a wide dish than a deep one. And finally, many people skip the resting time. Five minutes on the counter sounds like nothing, but it’s the difference between a rice dish that falls apart on the fork and one that holds its shape.
How to serve chorizo rice in a baking dish
The dish is filling enough to stand on its own, but it’s even better with something fresh and cool on the side:
- A simple green salad with lemon and olive oil that cuts through the richness of the chorizo
- A spoonful of sour cream or Greek yoghurt straight onto the hot rice
- Coarsely chopped parsley or fresh coriander scattered over just before serving
- Toasted bread to mop up the last of the tomato sauce
- A dollop of aioli if you want to keep the dish firmly in Spanish territory
Storage and reheating
Chorizo rice keeps for three to four days in the fridge in an airtight container, and the flavour rounds out the next day once the paprika has had time to develop. Reheat at 170 °C in a baking dish, adding a couple of tablespoons of water or stock first — otherwise the rice dries out. The dish can also be frozen in portions for up to three months; thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Chorizo rice in a baking dish is the kind of everyday meal that asks nothing of you along the way, yet still tastes like the weekend. Put the dish in the air fryer, set the table while you wait, and let those 45 minutes do the work for you.
FAQ
Yes, as long as the dish is heatproof and can handle 180 °C, and there’s a couple of centimetres of air all the way round so the heat can circulate. Glass, ceramic and metal all work. Measure the basket before you buy a new dish — it’s the basket’s width, not its litre capacity, that decides what fits.
Soft, raw cooking chorizo is best, because it releases its fat and seasons the rice as it cooks. The firm, air-dried kind can also be used, but it gives off less fat, so plan on adding a little extra oil.
Almost always because the layer is too thick or the liquid too scant. Spread the rice in an even layer no more than a couple of centimetres deep, and make sure it’s covered with stock before the dish goes into the air fryer. If the dish is already cooking, you can pour in a decilitre of hot stock and give it a little longer at 170 °C.
Recipe
Chorizo rice in a baking dish in the Air Fryer
Cooking Guide
Keep the screen on and follow the recipe step by step while you cook.
Step 1:
Avoid the screen turning off while you cook.
Step 2:
Start the guide and follow the recipe one step at a time.
Cost of the dish
Prices may vary depending on where you shop.
Our estimate is based on average food prices for the current year 2026.
Estimated price for the whole dish:
Airfryer size
All our recipes are tested in a Philips Airfryer 2000 Series NA230/00 – 6.2 L
Does the recipe fit my Airfryer?
If you’re unsure, you can always reduce by one serving in the recipe, or click the 0.5x button.
You can also Ask the AI Chef
It’s easy! Just press the Ask the AI Chef button you see at the bottom.
Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Oven-safe dish - Must be able to stand freely in the basket
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Aluminum foil - Used to cover the dish during baking
Shopping list
Ingredients
Chorizo and vegetables
- 250 g Spanish chorizo (Sliced about half a centimetre thick)
- 1 pcs onion (Finely chopped)
- 2 clove garlic (Finely chopped)
- 1 pcs red bell pepper (Diced)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Rice, spices and liquid
- 300 g long-grain rice (E.g. basmati)
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 0.5 tsp chilli flakes
- 400 g chopped tomatoes (1 tin)
- 5 dl chicken stock (Warm)
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper (Freshly ground)
To serve
- 15 g flat-leaf parsley (Roughly chopped)
- 1 pcs lemon (In wedges)
How to make it
Preparation
Cooking in the air fryer
- Place the dish in the air fryer and bake at 180 °C for 8 minutes, until the chorizo has released its red oil and the onions are soft. Stir once during cooking.
- Stir 300 g long-grain rice, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin and 0.5 tsp chilli flakes into the dish, so the rice is coated in the spiced oil. Add 400 g chopped tomatoes and 5 dl chicken stock, and season with 1 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper.
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminium foil, lower the temperature to 170 °C and bake for 30 minutes. Stir after 15 minutes, so the rice cooks evenly and doesn’t stick to the bottom.
- Remove the foil and bake for a further 5 minutes at 170 °C, until the liquid has been absorbed and the top is lightly toasted. Check that the rice is tender — if it needs a little longer, add 2-3 tbsp water and bake for 5 more minutes.
Serving
- Let the dish rest covered for 5 minutes, so the rice can steam a little more. Fluff it up with a fork, sprinkle with 15 g flat-leaf parsley and serve with 1 pcs lemon wedges.
Our notes for the recipe
Use a low, wide dish, so the rice sits in a thin layer — it bakes far more evenly than in a deep dish. The foil isn’t just for show: without it, the liquid evaporates before the rice is tender. Variation:
Swap the chorizo for spicy chicken sausage, or add 200 g raw prawns for the last 5 minutes for a paella-style version. Serving:
Serve with a crisp green salad and a drizzle of good olive oil. The lemon wedges lift the smoked paprika and cut through the richness of the chorizo. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can make the dish in two batches.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
Easily share the recipe with others:
Via email or on Facebook
Open the recipe on your phone
Scan the QR code with your phone and get the recipe directly on your mobile while you cook.
Author
Airfryerkogebogen.dk
