Puerto Rican Arroz con Pollo, Chicken and Rice

Green Dutch oven filled with cooked arroz con pollo. There is a wooden spoon resting on the handle of the Dutch oven as well as a black kitchen towel on the other handle.

5 from 1 vote

Puerto Rican Arroz con Pollo, Chicken and Rice

An original one-pot wonder. Arroz con pollo combines rice and chicken in one pot. Add a few sides like a slice of avocado and some stewed red beans to complete and satisfying meal.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Puerto Rican

Servings: servings

Calories: 576kcal

Author: Zoe Morman

Ingredients

4 Chicken Tighs
1 tablespoon Garlic Paste
1 tablespoon Adobo
1 tablespoon Paprika
1 Small Onion, or half of a medium/large Small Diced
1 tablespoon Sofrito
1 tablespoon Sazon
1 tablespoon Adobo
1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
1½ Cups Rice
1 tablespoon Achiote Oil
1 ½ cup Chicken broth
12 Manzanilla Olives
1 teaspoon Capers
1 Bay Leaf

Instructions

a.Season and marinate the Chicken in advance. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or overnight if time allows. You want the chicken to hold its own flavor separate from the rice.
Sear chicken in a deep pan.
Once chicken has browned on all sides remove from pot and set aside. Add onions to the pan and sautee until translucent.
Cook sofrito for about a minute or two, then add tomato paste. **See note**
Add rice and achiote oil. Toss the rice in the oil to cover.
Once rice has been coated with onion, sofrito and achiote oil, incorporate chicken. Add broth, olives, capers, and bay leaf. Allow to simmer uncovered for five to ten minutes. Then cover and bring heat to low for an additional 15 minutes.
The rice should have dried out. Check for doneness. If the rice is still not done but is dry, add about an ounce to a quarter cup (2 ounces) of water. Cover and let cook on low for another 5 to 10 minutes. Once cooked, turn the rice with a fork and serve.

Notes

Wash the rice: There is much debate about whether or not to wash the rice. I grew up sorting or picking through the rice for undesirable twigs, small stones, or off-color rice grains. After picking through the rice, we would wash and rinse it at least three times.
- To wash the rice: Place the rice in a bowl and fill with water to wash the rice. Toss the rice with your fingers for a few seconds, then pour the water onto your other hand while holding on to any grains that escaped with the water. Repeat three times.
Water needed for cooking: It has been my experience to use the same amount of water as rice. So, for every cup of rice, use a cup of water. You can always adjust the water towards the end of the cooking process, but you can't remove the excess water once you have added it.
The rice is not cooked: The basic formula that has worked for me has been to cook the rice uncovered for about 5 minutes, with a roaring simmer. Then, lower the heat to low, cover it, and cook it for 10 to 15 minutes. Check for doneness and allow to sit covered for 5 minutes away from the heat.
If the rice was still mostly raw: then there was not enough water to begin with. Add another one to two ounces (about a quarter of a cup), and cook for an additional five to ten minutes.
Tomato Paste: Cooking the tomato paste with the Sofrito will start to caramelize the tomato paste giving the paste a bit of taste and sweetness. I use tomato paste over tomato sauce often, so I do not have tomato sauce available all the time. If you do have tomato sauce and not paste, just use one to two tablespoons instead of tomato paste.

Nutrition