Arroz con Pollo
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This recipe for arroz con pollo boasts fluffy rice, succulent chicken, bright green olives, capers, and a whole menagerie of intensely aromatic, warming spices. I’m sharing both bone-in and boneless chicken versions! Get ready for a delicious and exquisitely spiced meal.
Arroz con pollo
After many a visit to a local restaurant that specializes in tropical and amazing Latin dishes, I decided to make my own version of Arroz con pollo, or Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice. This beautifully seasoned chicken bastes the rice it cooks in with it’s rendered juices to make the rice even more flavorful after getting treated with a variety of flavor weapons. It’s a one pan wonder!
Arroz con pollo is nothing short of a one-pot wonder. Simple white rice and chicken are transformed into a mouthwatering masterpiece with just a few carefully chosen spice blends and 15 minutes of prep time. This classic Caribbean dish features adobo seasoning, sazon seasoning, a sofrito mix, and more!
If you are looking for an easy way to feed a large group without compromising on flavor, arroz con pollo is your ticket to success. Only cooking for a couple of folks? No worries. It is easy to scale this recipe up or down — or save extras for leftovers.
For more delectable chicken recipes, check out my Baked Cubano Chicken, Caribbean Jerk Chicken, or Southwest Mango Chicken.
Table of Contents
- Chicken – Bone-in, skin-on chicken is ideal for this recipe. Legs, thighs, or breasts are all great.
- Rice – A white medium-grain rice like aborio, medium-grain is perfect for soaking up flavor and delivering a soft, fluffy texture.
- Oil – Choose an oil with a decent smoke point like coconut, avocado, peanut, or canola oil.
- Adobo Seasoning – A pungent blend of garlic, turmeric, oregano, salt, and pepper. Make my recipe for a MSG-free version or look for it in the spice aisle or Mexican foods section.
- Sazon Seasoning – This blend of warming, aromatic, and pungent spices infuses the rice with flavor and color. Try this DIY version or check the Mexican foods section.
- Sofrito – This green mixture of bell pepper, garlic, onion, and cilantro adds a depth of zesty flavor to the dish. You can buy the Goya brand online or I make my own in the food processor. Read about it here in my post on What is Sofrito.
- Pigeon Peas – If pigeon peas are unavailable, feel free to substitute 2 cups of regular frozen peas.
- Olives & Capers – Perks up the dish with a pop of bright, briny tanginess.
- Preheat the Oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F if you are planning on making all 8 servings. If making the smaller stovetop version, disregard this step.
- Rinse & Spice. Use a sieve or colander to rinse the rice thoroughly under cold water. Drain and set aside. Rinse the chicken pieces under cold water as well. Dry each one with a paper towel, then generously rub in Adobo seasoning, covering all sides.
- Sear the Chicken. Place a Dutch oven, roasting pan, or skillet with the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side, just enough to quickly brown them. Transfer the chicken to a plate, season with pepper, and set aside.
- Season & Saute. Toss the Sazon seasoning, cumin, and sofrito into the pan. Quickly saute, scraping up, and mixing in the yummy bits from browning the chicken.
- Boil & Blend. Now add in the rice, chicken stock, tomato sauce, peas, olives, and capers. Stir to blend all of the ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil for a solid minute
- Add the Chicken. Carefully transfer the chicken pieces to the top of the rice mixture, pressing down gently. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with foil, and simmer for 20 minutes. Uncover the pan and continue to simmer for an additional 15 minutes.
- Roasting Pan Option. (8 servings) Alternatively, you can transfer the rice mixture to a roasting pan you have sprayed with cooking spray. Add the chicken to the top, cover with foil, and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Serve. Give the dish at least 5 minutes to rest. Take the chicken off the top, fluff up the rice, and return the chicken. Serve immediately right out of the pan.
How About a Boneless Version?
- Preheat the Oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Season & Prep. Cut chicken into 2-inch pieces. In a bowl, toss with Adobo and Sazon seasoning. Set aside. Rinse the rice under cold water and drain. Set aside.
- Cook the Chicken. Over medium high heat add the oil to a deep skillet, roasting pan or Dutch oven and cook the chicken pieces for about 5-6 minutes and no longer pink. Remove from the pan, season with pepper and set aside.
- Saute. Add the sofrito to the pan for a quick sauté, scraping up the bits from browned chicken and then add the rice. Saute for 2 minutes, mixing to coat the rice.
- Boil & Blend. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cook for a minute, stirring to blend all.
- Add the Chicken. Carefully add the chicken pieces into rice mixture and bring to a boil. Cover with lid/foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest covered for 15 minutes.
- Serve. Give the dish at least 5 minutes to rest. Take the chicken off the top, fluff up the rice, and return the chicken. Serve immediately right out of the pan.
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It is usually because you either cooked it too long or included too much liquid while cooking. Be sure to measure accurately, simmer on low, and set a timer.
This dish is hearty and satisfying enough to be served all by itself. Traditionally, it is often served with a large garden salad and a side of fried plantains, and Puerto Rican chicken and rice pairs perfectly with countless other side dishes. Here are a few of my top suggestions:
– A cold, crunchy salad like this Spicy Cilantro Lime Slaw or Peachy Southern Coleslaw.
– Tortilla chips and dips like Fire Roasted Salsa, Guacamole, and Queso Dip.
– Elote (Street Corn Recipe) or Esquites (Street Corn Salad)
– Zingy sides like Pickled Vegetables, Pickled Peppers, or Pickled Red Onions
– Mango Ice Cream, Pineapple Ice Pops, or other tropical treat for dessert
Puerto Rican chicken and rice is a fusion of Spanish, African, and Native Caribbean influences.
The earliest versions of this dish come from Spain and date all the way back to the 8th century. During Spanish colonization, the dish was introduced to Puerto Rico where it has evolved over time.
The local ingredients and culinary traditions of the area helped to shape arroz con pollo into the Carribean delicacy we know today.
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Arroz con Pollo (Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (medium grain) white rice
- 2 tbsp oil
- 4 lbs bone-in chicken legs, thighs and or breasts (See Instructions for boneless chicken)
- 1 tbsp Adobo seasoning
- 2 tsp Sazon seasoning
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup Sofrito (See Note 1)
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 15.5 oz Pigeon Peas, rinsed and drained (See Note 2)
- 1 cup green olives drained
- 3 tbsp capers drained
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
Instructions
Bone-In Chicken Version
- If making 8 person serving preheat oven to 350°F. If making stove top (for 4 person serving), disregard oven instructions.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Rub both sides with generous amount of the Adobo and Sazon 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 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 lid or foil, then simmer for 20 minutes. (See Note 3)
- Remove foil then simmer on stovetop or back in oven if baking for another 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).
Boneless Chicken Version
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cut chicken into 2-inch pieces. In a bowl, toss with Adobo and Sazon seasoning. Set aside. Rinse the rice under cold water and drain. Set aside.
- Over medium high heat add the oil to a deep skillet, roasting pan or Dutch oven and cook the chicken pieces for about 5-6 minutes and no longer pink. Remove from the pan, season with pepper and set aside.
- Add the sofrito to the pan for a quick sauté, scraping up the bits from browned chicken and then add the rice. Saute for 2 minutes, mixing to coat the rice. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cook for a minute, stirring to blend all.
- Carefully add the chicken pieces into rice mixture and bring to a boil. Cover with lid/foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest covered for 15 minutes.
- Fluff up rice and then arrange chicken on top. Serve from pan and top with chopped parsley (optional).
Notes
- I make my own sofrito, but if you want to get store bought, pick up a brand called Goya that can be found in most markets or on Amazon if unavailable near you.
- 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 (8 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 40 minutes. Remove foil then bake for a further 15 minutes.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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 in a larger pan. I don’t have a skillet large enough to cook for 10 people, do you? This is about showing a recipe that has options for anyone.
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 it in an oven again
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?
Hi Kevin,
I want to thank you for such an awesome recipe, I made this recipe last week and it turned out to be so delicious! I just want to share what I think might help others. I was very nervous reading the comments because so many commenters had trouble getting the rice to cook fully. I always use a ratio of 1 cup of rice to 1 and 1/2 cup of stock, so that could not have been the problem. Once I had sautéed the sofrito, I added the rice and toasted it for a little bit so that the rice grains would retain its shape and not be mushy. I just want to say that it is very important to get the entire mixture to a boil before putting it in the oven and I used a 8qt nonstick stockpot to cook the whole thing from start to finish. I also used half the amount of adobo seasoning on the chicken because I find adobo to be extremely salty, and I put capers, olives and pigeon peas in a bowl and gave it good rinse before adding it to the pot. The rice is so delicious, I could just cook a huge pot of it without the chicken.
Hi Taz! Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know and write this. I agree with you and in the instruction for step 3, it does state “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.” Hopefully people are not missing that, it is crucial!
The chicken turned out wonderful! But the rice was undercooked and tasted oh so salty! I kept it in the oven for 2 hours and the rice still wouldn’t not cook. And the taste of salt is so overwhelming! Not sure where I went wrong! Maybe I used too much Adobo?
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment Briana. The cooking time total is 35 covered and 15 minutes uncovered. Not quite sure what happened with your batch? After a commenter mentioned a month or so ago the rice wasn’t cooked I re-made this is as a half version in a skillet and a full version in a roasting pan and each came out as written. As written it is for 10 but half everything (scroll your mouse over the recipe serving and move to adjust number!) and you can make a smaller batch. Hope this helps.
This turned out pretty good for my first Puerto Rican dish. The flavor may have been a little overwhelming. I’ll be careful not to get the juice from the olives and capers in there next time, and back off the bouillon a little. I boiled everythink a couplr extra minutes since some people were having issues with it cooking thoroughly. It came out a little mushy. Overall, a good dish I’ll make again.
Thanks for coming back to let me know Laurie. What do you mean by “boiled everything”? It all goes in the oven covered to roast? Any question, let me know!
I loved this dish! The chicken came out super moist! The rice was so delicious! The perfect blend of spices with just a little kick of spice that was totally kid friendly. The whole dish was quite savory! A great family dish that everyone can enjoy! Put this recipe on your list of “must make for my family.”
Thanks Mary! I love a al-in-one meal and the flavors are so good. Not too spicy for the kids. 🙂