Arroz con Pollo, also known as rice with chicken, is a hearty one-pot meal, packed with bold spices and cozy flavors, making it a beloved staple in many countries and cultures!
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The Best Arroz con Pollo Recipe
Arroz con pollo, aka rice with chicken, is a one pot, Latin-inspired dish that creates a super flavorful and wholesome meal in no time! Plus, you will learn how to make your own homemade sofrito. The sofrito is what makes this the best arroz con pollo recipe ever!
Chicken and rice is one of those meals that is always a good idea. It is filling, comforting, and packed with protein, and fairly simple to make! And you don’t have to make any sides! This is a full meal on its own, making it simple to get a yummy dinner on the table quickly.
Ingredients Needed
- Chicken Thighs: Chicken thighs work well here since they stay nice and juicy! You can use chicken breast if you prefer, just be sure not to over cook it.
- Onion: Diced up into small squares!
- Spices: Ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, salt and oregano will spice this dish up to perfection!
- Chicken Stock: Use chicken stock to cook the chicken and rice together! If you opt for water, you might have to add more salt to taste.
- Bay Leaves: For added flavor!
- Rice: Use a long grain white rice here.
- Olives & Capers: A combination of green olives and capers add a depth of flavor and salty, briny flavor!
- Lime Juice: For a hint of tangy flavor!
- Peas: Peas are added at the end. It’s an easy way to add some green veggies!
- Sofrito: Make a homemade sofrito with a cubanelle pepper, cilantro, onion, garlic, and cumin.
- Sauce: Drizzle your arroz con pollo with a quick sauce made from mayo, lime juice and some of that flavorful sofrito!
How to Make The best arroz con pollo
- Make the Sofrito: In a food processor, combine the cubanelle pepper, cilantro, onion, garlic, and cumin. Blend for 30 seconds or until the mixture is combined. Reserve 2 tbsp and set aside.
- Sear Chicken: Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add in chicken and sear on both sides for 2-3 minutes, each. We are not cooking the chicken all the way through, we are just getting color on the chicken and building flavor! Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same pot. Add in the onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until they start to get some color on them.
- Add Spices: Stir in the coriander, cumin, turmeric, salt and oregano. Cook for 1-2 minutes to bloom the spices.
- Add Rice and Liquid: Add in the rice and sauté for one minutes. Pour in the broth, sofrito (minus to 2 tablespoons), and bay leaves. Add the chicken back to the pan.
- Simmer: Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed.
- Fluff & Make the Sauce: Fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the olives, capers and peas.
- Make the Sauce: Add mayo, lime juice and reserved sofrito to a small bowl. Whisk to combine then set aside.
- Serve: Season the arroz con pollo with salt and pepper to taste then serve immediately drizzled with the sofrito mayo on top. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips & Variations
- If you can’t find a cubanelle pepper, feel free to substitute it with a poblano pepper or a bell pepper instead!
- Not a fan of olives? Feel free to omit them! I would definitely still add the capers, so you still get some of that briny flavor.
- I used skinless, boneless chicken thighs here. You can also use bone-in chicken thighs, but the chicken cooks right in the rice and the skin won’t stay crispy! If that doesn’t bother you, then totally go for it. Or, opt for chicken breast instead!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sofrito?
Sofrito is the Spanish and Latin American flavor base that is used in many recipes! It is almost always some kind of pepper, onion, garlic, and cumin. Sometimes it also has tomato and/or cilantro, depending on the country. You can think of sofrito as the equivalent to French mirepoix, which consists of onions, carrots and celery and is often the base of flavor in French cooking.
Can I make sofrito without a food processor?
Definitely. If you don’t have a food processor, you just have to chop up the ingredients into very small pieces! Takes a bit more work, but not impossible!
How should I store leftover arroz con pollo?
Store any leftover chicken and rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Simply reheat in the microwave until heated through! Store the leftover sofrito sauce separately for up to 3 days.
More Easy Dinner Recipes to Try
- Peruvian Chicken with Green Sauce
- Greek Chicken Meatballs
- Beef Enchilada Skillet
- Chicken Biryani
- Chicken Fried Rice
Arroz Con Pollo
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 2 cups medium grain white rice
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup olives, sliced
- 2 tbsp capers
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 1 cup peas, thawed
Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp sofrito, reserved
Instructions
Sofrito
- In a food processor combine the cubanelle pepper, cilantro, onion, garlic and cumin.Blend for 30 seconds or until the mixture is combine. Reserve 2 tbsp and set aside.
Arroz Con Pollo
- Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add in chicken and sear on both sides for 2-3 minutes, each. (We are not cooking the chicken all the way we are just getting color on the chicken and building flavor).Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same pot.Add in the onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until they start to get some color on them.Stir in the spices: coriander, cumin, turmeric, salt and oregano. Cook for 1-2 minutes to bloom the spices.
- Add in the rice and saute for one minute.Pour in the broth, sofrito (minus the 2 tbsp) and bay leaves. Add the chicken back to the pan.
- Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and all of the liquid is absorbed.
- Fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the olives, capers and peas.Season with salt and pepper to taste then serve immediately drizzled with the sofrito mayo on top.
Sofrito Sauce
- Add mayo, lime juice and reserved sofrito to a small bowl. Whisk to combine then set aside.
Nutrition Information
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