After many a visit to a local restaurant that specializes in tropical and amazing Latin dishes, I decided to make my own version of Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice. This beautifully seasoned chicken bastes the rice it cooks in with it’s rendered fat and juices to make the rice even more flavorful after getting treated with a variety of flavor weapons. It’s a one pan wonder!
Probably better known as Arroz con Pollo, this hearty meal can easily feed a crowd, or cut the recipe in half for four with leftovers. You’re going to really enjoy this flavorful, savory chicken and fluffy rice that’s not over spiced, yet so delicious.
When one thinks of Puerto Rican food spicy might come to mind, but it is flavorful, not over loaded with spices. It’s comfort food where a slow braise or bake in the oven results in fall apart tender meats and typically a side dish all made in one pan. Can’t beat that, right? Especially on those hectic mid-weeks when dinner is needed on the table quickly.
This Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice recipe is a go to for a savory dish without the typical south of the border ingredients. This is from Puerto Rico and the flavors are definitely different. In this dish, as with other Latin dishes, olives are thrown in the mix. I love the acidic touch from the brine they give the rice, mixing well with the other flavors. Reminiscent of olives found in empanadas, or like in this Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Chickpeas, Olives and Preserved Lemon dish.
A fantastic boost in flavor starts with what’s known as a sofrito. Used in many Latin and Caribbean cooking, it typically consists of red and green bell peppers, garlic, tomatoes, onions, cilantro that are blended and cooked as the base.
I pick up a brand I love called Goya that can be found in most markets or on Amazon if unavailable near you. Feel free to make your own from scratch, too. If I don’t have a jar on hand in the pantry, I purée in my food processor one each medium tomato, green and red bell pepper, one small jalapeño (or chile of preference), 4 garlic cloves and a handful of cilantro. That’s all there is to it!
Chicken drumsticks are customary parts in this dish, but Dave has an affinity for white meat so I add some bone in chicken breasts, too. A heavy rub of Adobo seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic and turmeric) all over and a quick pan sear on all sides for 2-3 minutes takes care of the chicken. The sofrito sauce gets a quick sauté, scraping up the bits from browning the chicken and then the rice and other ingredients are added. Dave had a crowd coming over that night and I was headed out so I poured all of this in a large roasting pan and added the chicken pieces back in to bake uncovered. This Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice feeds a crowd!
The result is this amazingly tasty, fall off the bone chicken, a savory, fluffy rice that has olives, capers and peas laced throughout. Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice at it’s finest!
As the chicken roasts in the oven it bastes the rice with it’s rendered fat and juices, making one flavorful rice. Enjoy!
Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil
- 3-4 lbs chicken legs, thighs and or bone in breasts
- 2 tbsp Adobo seasoning
- Freshly ground pepper
- 12 oz Puerto Rican Sofrito (See Note 1)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 3 cups (long grain) white rice
- 4 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 15.5 oz can Pigeon Peas, rinsed and drained (See Note 2)
- 1 cup green olives drained
- 3 tbsp capers drained
Instructions
- If making 10 person serving preheat oven to 350°F. If making stove top (for 5 person serving), disregard oven instructions.
- Rinse the chicken pieces under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Rub both sides with generous amount of the Adobo seasoning. Rinse the rice under cold water and drain. Set aside.
- Over medium high heat add the oil to a roasting pan, skillet or Dutch oven and quickly brown chicken pieces for about 3 minutes each side. Remove from the pan, season with pepper and set aside.
- Add the sofrito and cumin to the pan for a quick sauté, scraping up the bits from browning the chicken and then add all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Cook for a minute, stirring to blend all.
- At this point top with chicken pieces, gently pressing down into rice mixture. Turn heat to low, cover with foil, then simmer for 20 minutes. (See Note 3)
- Remove foil then simmer for a further 15 minutes.
- When done, let stand for 5 minutes. Remove chicken and fluff up rice and then place chicken back on top. Serve from pan and top with chopped parsley (optional).
Notes
- I pick up a brand I love called Goya that can be found in most markets or on Amazon if unavailable near you. Feel free to make your own from scratch, too. If I don't have a jar on hand in the pantry, I purée in my food processor one each medium tomato, green and red bell pepper, one small jalapeño (optional, I like a little kick), 4 garlic cloves and a handful of cilantro. That's all there is to it!
- Feel free to substitute 2 cups frozen peas if you like for the traditional Pigeon Peas. I again use the Goya brand that can be found in most markets or on Amazon if unavailable near you.
- If this batch is too large for your skillet or Dutch oven (10 person serving), pour rice mixture into a large roasting pan coated with cooking spray and top with chicken pieces. Cover with foil, then bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil then bake for a further 15 minutes.
I never cooked Rican food or eaten it before, made your recipe and made Roasted Pork Pernil. Took food to work and let 17 workmates try my dishes, Puerto Ricans and others. Everyone loved it! Told my daughter-in-law about it and she wants me to come to her place and make dishes for a crowd of relatives! Thanks for your recipe help.
Thanks so much Ken, especially for taking the time to let me know! Cheers. 🙂
I’ve made this recipie countless times and my family and I adore it. Thank you!!
Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know Cara! 🙂
My pleasure! Quick question for you, as we are trying to eat a little healthier lately- I am making this for dinner tonight and will be removing the skin when I clean the chicken (I know, I know, the skin is the best part *sad face*). Do you see this altering the dish much? I still plan on giving it a quick browning.
Sorry for the late reply here Cara. I would leave the sking on and remove before serving. It acts to baste and keep the kitchen moist.
If you don’t like the taste of capers or olives, what is a viable substitute, if any?
They basically are adding a briny touch to the dish, if they are not to your liking simply omit Courtney.
It Is 2019… Everyone does things differently. Some add and some substitute. It looks delicious and I’ve been making PR rice for many yrs and lately I started to do half and half. Start first half on stove top & 2 half in oven. Everyone loves it and I get orders for it as well. Today I’m making it with the pollo!
Keep doing your thang!… It looks delicious!😋
Thanks Cici, appreciate it. 🙂
This dish that you represent here is a 2 dish very traditional. Rice with chicken.
The other is rice with pigeon peas. In spanish is arroz con Gandule. This dish you make it with out chicken.
Thanks Blanca!
Looks amazing! I’m a little confused tho-do you cook the rice first by it self? When it says to rinse-is that cooked or uncooked rice? Thanks for the clarification.
It’s a tasty one! No you do not cook the rice first and yes, rinse the uncooked rice Taryn.
Sorry you friend but your recipe has nothing to do with a puertorrican “Arroz con Pollo”. To begin, puertorricans DO NOT put jalapeños nor tomatoes in the sofrito. The puertorrican chicken and rice is made on the stove top, it is NOT baked like yours. You’re recipe cold be a more modern type of gourmet version from Puerto Rico which I doubt very much since we do not use jalapeño in our sofrito. IT looks real and I’m sure it tastes good as well, but’s NOT a topical puertorrican ARROZ CON POLLO.
José, first off, thanks for your input. I also would be happy to try your recipe! Regarding the jalapeño, no where in the recipe of ingredients does it state to use a jalapeño. I added that in the Notes section as something I like to do as an OPTION, a SUBSTITUTION, if I can not get sofrito from a store and to give it a little kick. It’s a preference, but I did leave the initial recipe without. As for being baked, I give options for stovetop (smaller version) and (for a larger version for 10 people), to be baked… Read more »
This dish came out perfect. I used a little less tomato sauce and added some granulated garlic, it’s a keeper. My husband is Puerto Rican and he loved it.
Reading comments like this make me smile Jack, so glad you guys enjoy it. Love the Puerto Rican seal of approval. 🙂
This was good, the rice is amazing. My chicken skin didn’t crisp up like the picture, but I think it may have to do with the fact that my skillet was not super hot when I browned the chicken- it’s a huge cast iron skillet. It was really good overall though, especially once I broiled the chicken. My rice was saucier than the pic, not sure why, but still so good.
So glad you enjoyed this one Beth!
Your arroz con pollo recipe looks awesome. But I was curious if you use the tomato base sofrito or the frozen kind from Goya?
Thanks so much!
I use the tomato based one in a jar or make my own (See Recipe Note 1) Brian. Thanks for stopping by.
KEVIN the mother of my children is Puerto Rican and I can tell you the best way to cook Arroz con Pollo is stove top in a seasoned pot made of aluminum. Known as a caldero and can be purchased in most international grocery stores . The best sofrito is home made in a food processor 1 green pepper 1 large onion 1 bunch of cilantro & 1 bulb of fresh garlic. Then add to the sofrito when cooking 4 packets of Sazon with achiote for taste and a red color. Try this method I believe you will never make… Read more »
This oven method is just an example of the options we have as cooks. Thanks so much for your comment and information here John.
Could you make this dish with boneless chicken?