Arroz Con Pollo - Puerto Rican Style
Arroz con pollo combines tender chicken, and perfectly cooked rice that's simmered together in a flavorful blend of spices with olives and peas. This incredible dish is comfort food at its very best.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the chicken marinade
- 3 pounds chicken thighs
- 2 teaspoons sazon seasoning
- 2 teaspoons adobo seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
For the rice
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 large onion finely diced
- 1 large green bell pepper finely diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice rinsed for 30 seconds then lit sit in strainer
- 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon sazon seasoning
- 2 large bay leaves
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro plus more for garnish
- 3/4 cup pimento stuffed green olives sliced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Marinate the chicken and sear
- Pat the chicken pieces very dry with paper towels then season well with sazon, adobo, and cumin. Refrigerate for 2 hours or ideally overnight.
- Heat a large wide pan or Dutch oven to medium heat with the olive oil and add the chicken skin side down. Cook until well browned on all sides then remove it to a plate with a slotted spoon leaving the fat in the pot.
Make the rice
- Add the diced onion and peppers along with a pinch of salt and saute until very soft (about 12-15 minutes). If the pot starts to burn add a few ounces of water to scrape up the browned bits. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add the rice and mix well to coat each kernel with the oil. Saute for 3 minutes.
- Add the tomato sauce, chicken stock, sea salt, oregano, sazon, cilantro, and bay leaves and bring to a boil.
- Spread the rice so that it is evely distributed in the pot. Sprinkle in the olives and peas and nestle the chicken pieces into the pot. Pour any remaining chicken juices in as well. Turn the heat to low and cover with a tight fitting lid and cook for 15-18 minutes or until the liquid has mostly evaporated and the rice is tender. Remove the pot from the burner and let sit covered for another 15 minutes.
- Note: You can eat the arroz con pollo as is or crisp the bottom rice for socarrat or pegao. To crisp bottom, put the pan back on the burner and cook over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. If it smells like it's burning remove the pan from the heat. Taste test and season with more salt and pepper if required. Garnish with cilantro. Enjoy!
Notes
- Rice. I like to use medium grain rice, but other types such as long grain or jasmine can be used. Long grain rice will need about a 1/2 cup more water. Avoid using brown or short grain (arborio) rice. If the rice is still hard after resting, add a few splashes of boiling stock or water, cover tightly and cook for another 5 minutes over low heat. Let rest for 5 minutes before again checking for doneness.
- Chicken. I love to use bone-in skin-on chicken thighs but boneless skinless can be used. Drumsticks are also great.
- Crisping the bottom for pegao. The crispy bits of rice on the bottom of the pan are delicious and are typical of Puerto Rican and Dominican aroz con pollo while not often included in other versions in Cuba and Colombia. To crisp the rice, after resting, put the pan back on the burner and cook over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. If it smells like it's burning remove the pan from the heat.
- In a rush. If you don't have time to marinate, simply remove the chicken and pat very dry with paper towels. Season with spice mixture and let sit at room temp while prepping the other ingredients.
- Leftovers. Arroz con pollo can be saved for up to 3 days in the fridge and can be reheated in the microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 885kcal | Carbohydrates: 46.1g | Protein: 31.2g | Fat: 64g | Saturated Fat: 16.9g | Cholesterol: 165mg | Sodium: 1222mg | Fiber: 2.7g | Sugar: 4.9g | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 4mg
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