Puerto Rican Arroz con Pollo

Almost every Latin American country has their own recipe of Arroz con Pollo, but the Puerto Rican version is my obvious favorite because of the homemade sofrito, fresh herbs, tomato flavors and of course – the crunchy rice that sticks to the bottom of the pan – el pegao.

Puerto Rican Style Arroz con Pollo (Chicken and Rice)

Growing up in a boricua household, I quickly learned that dinners don’t have to be fussy, complicated meals. They can be easy, convenient dishes that feature simple ingredients, commonly found in your kitchen, like chicken and rice.

Puerto Rican Arroz con Pollo is bold in flavor and super simple to execute. Plus, it’s a dish that can feed a whole family and be made in one pot. Who doesn’t love that? As simple as it sounds, Arroz con Pollo is just a combination of chicken and rice cooked/simmered in its own juices, leaving behind a delicious one-pot meal.

What Type of Chicken is Best for Arroz con Pollo?

Starting with the chicken – you can choose a variety of cuts and options. That’s the beauty of this dish. Whatever you have in your fridge (dark or white meat) can work. A lot of recipes use:

• Whole drumsticks
• Sliced chicken breast
• But in my recipe I prefer to use the dark meat found in boneless chicken thighs.

Chicken thighs naturally have a bit more fat and like I always say, “Fat is flavor!” Thighs also absorb and hold marinades really well, making them the perfect choice for a boldly-flavored Arroz con Pollo.

Ingredients

To make a flavorful Arroz con Pollo with that traditional Puerto Rican sabor, you’ll need some essential ingredients and seasonings. For this recipe, a few of these ingredients are homemade because (not only was this the way I learned how to cook back in the day) it also allows you to customized the dish to your desired flavor profile.

• Long grain white rice
• Chicken broth
• My famous homemade sofrito
• Homemade sazon or achiote oil
• Tomato paste
• Bay leaves
• Adobo seasoning
• Ground cumin
• Dried oregano powder

More One Pot Rice Dishes

Love the idea of making one pot dishes for dinner? Try a few more of my Puerto Rican and Nicaraguan-inspired recipes below:

Puerto Rican Arroz con Pollo

The Puerto Rican version of Arroz con Pollo is boldly-flavored with homemade sofrito, fresh herbs, tomato flavors and of course – the crunchy rice that sticks to the bottom of the pan – el pegao. Not to mention, this recipe can be made in one pot, ensuring a mess-free meal.

5 from 2 votes

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Course Dinner, Main Course, One Pot Meal, Rice Dish

Cuisine Puerto Rican Cuisine

Servings 4 servings

Equipment

• 1 Caldero or Large Dutch Pot

Ingredients

  

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 cups of long grain white rice
• 2 1/2 cups of homemade chicken broth or water
• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of skinless chicken thighs
• 1/3 cup of homemade sofrito
• 1 to 2 teaspoons packets of sazon OR 2 to 4 teaspoons of homemade sazon/achiote oil optional
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon Adobo for chicken seasoning
• 1-2 teaspoons Ground cumin for chicken seasoning
• 1 teaspoon Oregano for chicken seasoning

Instructions

 

Marinate & Prepare the Chicken

• Clean and marinate your chicken thighs with adobo, cumin and oregano. Rest for 15 minutes
• In a dutch pot or caldero with 2 tablespoons of oil, sear your chicken thighs for about 4 minutes on each side.
• Once your thighs have browned, remove from pot and immediately add the homemade sofrito.
• Let the sofrito cook with the chicken drippings for 4 minutes until aromatic.
• Then, add the tomato paste and cook for another 4 minutes or until raw tomato taste is gone.
• Add sazon or achiote oil to the sofrito/tomato mixture. This will add color and enhance the flavors.

Cook the Rice

• Next add the rinsed rice and combine with the sofrito mixture. Allow the rice to toast up for a few minutes.
• Pour the chicken broth and stir the rice ONCE. Note: The more you stir, the more starch you create, resulting in mushy rice.
• On top of the rice, add your partially cooked chicken thighs to the caldero and cover with a little more broth. Just until the tops of the thighs are barely peeking through.
• Toss in your bay leaves and allow rice for boil uncovered on medium heat.
• When the rice has absorbed most of the water (about 90 percent) lower the heat and cover with foil and the lid.
• Continue to cook the rice covered for 20-25 minutes.
• After time has passed, uncover the rice and place the chicken to the side in order to fluff the rice.
• Remove bay leaves, garnish with cilantro, and enjoy!

Video

Keyword arroz con pollo