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Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Arroz Con Pollo (Straightforward Recipe!)


I’ll present you tips on how to make my favourite arroz con pollo recipe! This basic Latin dish has juicy, seasoned hen and rice bursting with smoky, savory taste, cooked in a single pot.

Overhead view of a large pot of arroz con pollo.Overhead view of a large pot of arroz con pollo.

 

Arroz con pollo, Spanish for “rice with hen”, is a Latin model of a hen and rice casserole. There are numerous methods to organize it, relying on which nation is asking! Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Colombia all have their variations. My recipe makes use of juicy bone-in hen and chorizo sausage cooked with seasoned rice and an fragrant sofrito of garlic, jalapeño, bell pepper, and onion. It’s a one-pot meal filled with taste, and also you’ll be stunned by how easy it’s to make.

Why Arroz Con Pollo Is the Final One-Pot Meal

  • Straightforward clean-up. This conventional hen and rice recipe is fast to cook dinner with minimal pot scrubbing afterward.
  • Straightforward substances. I’ve tailored my arroz con pollo recipe to make use of pantry staples. It nonetheless delivers on these scrumptious and conventional deep, wealthy flavors.
  • Nice for leftovers. Arroz con pollo is nice for meal prep! I like storing leftovers within the fridge or freezer for future meals. The flavors get even higher with time.
  • Customizable. There are SO MANY methods to organize arroz con pollo inside Latin cooking. The probabilities for add-ins and variations are countless. 
Arroz con pollo ingredients with text labels overlaying each ingredient.Arroz con pollo ingredients with text labels overlaying each ingredient.

Substances You’ll Have to Make This Recipe

Right here’s a fast overview of the substances in my do-it-yourself arroz con pollo recipe. You’ll discover the total, printable particulars within the recipe card after the submit, adopted by a step-by-step part with pictures.

  • Seasoning – I make a simple hen spice rub from a mixture of garlic and onion powder, paprika (candy or smoked), cumin, chili powder, oregano, and cayenne.
  • Olive Oil – You should utilize additional virgin olive oil or your most popular cooking oil for sautéeing.
  • Hen Thighs – I make my arroz con pollo with bone-in hen thighs. You can even use drumsticks, skin-on, or boneless hen. I like to make use of bone-in hen for max taste.
  • Chorizo – Sliced into ¼-inch cash. You should utilize sizzling or gentle chorizo, relying in your most popular spice stage. 
  • Onion and Carrot – Finely diced. I like to recommend yellow onion or shallot, and I normally peel the carrots, nevertheless it’s elective.
  • Garlic, Jalapeño, and Bell Pepper – Additionally finely chopped. Mixed with the above veggies, this makes what’s referred to as a “sofrito”, an fragrant taste base for the dish. I exploit an analogous combo in my Sancocho Dominicano recipe (one other Latin favourite).
  • Rice – I make this recipe with white rice, however you should use one other selection like brown rice (see beneath) or saffron rice.
  • Hen Inventory – I exploit low-sodium hen inventory. Substitute vegetable broth if wanted, although you might discover the flavors a bit lighter on this case.
  • Tomato Sauce – Select your favourite jarred tomato sauce from the shop, or use do-it-yourself. You might additionally use tomato purée.
  • Cilantro – Freshly chopped, for garnish.

Can I Use Brown Rice in Arroz Con Pollo?

Sure! You may make arroz con pollo with nearly any sort of rice you could have within the pantry. Brown rice is heartier than white rice and may have barely longer to cook dinner.

What’s the Finest Lower of Hen to Use?

I favor to make use of bone-in hen thighs as a result of they’re juicier and more durable to overcook than breast meat. That being mentioned, drumsticks are additionally nice, or you should use a mixture of bone-in cuts, both skinless or skin-on.

Overhead view of chicken and rice on a plate with a fork.Overhead view of chicken and rice on a plate with a fork.

Preserve These Suggestions In Thoughts

  • Use a heavy-bottomed pot, like a Dutch oven, braiser pot, or comparable, to keep away from the underside of the rice burning whereas it cooks.
  • Relaxation after cooking. As soon as the rice has cooked by means of, enable the dish to relaxation off the warmth earlier than serving. Resting permits the juices to redistribute all through the hen so it’s good and tender.
  • Test the hen for doneness. Hen is cooked when the juices run clear and the inner temperature reaches 165ºF on an instant-read thermometer.

Different Recipe Variations

  • Add olives. Add in olives and sazon seasoning for a Puerto Rican arroz con pollo.
  • Swap the broth with wine. Substitute the hen broth with white wine (I prefer to preserve it Spanish with Albarino, however you should use one other dry white, like Pinot Grigio). You might additionally attempt a variation with beer, like a crisp lager.
  • Vegetarian. Skip the hen and bulk up your rice with additional veggies like inexperienced beans (Colombian-style), mushrooms, asparagus, and so forth. You might additionally use tofu for a meatless choice.

What to Serve With Arroz Con Pollo

Serve your arroz con pollo topped with avocado slices and pico de gallo. The spicy tomato flavors within the rice go nice with a contemporary inexperienced salad topped with avocado dressing, or a crunchy kale salad. If you happen to’d prefer to lean into the starches, attempt a aspect of crispy potato wedges or French fries. I like plating this hen and rice up in the summertime subsequent to a white wine sangria!

Overhead view of a serving spoon resting in a large pot of arroz con pollo.Arroz Con Pollo (Straightforward Recipe!)

Often Requested Questions

Can I make this in a gradual cooker?

Positive! I’d advocate following the instructions for my gradual cooker hen and rice to make your arroz con pollo within the crock pot or gradual cooker.

How do I forestall mushy rice?

One of the simplest ways to stop mushy rice is to not overcook it. Test the instructions on the rice packaging, because the cooking occasions I give on this recipe are tips. Chances are you’ll have to adapt the time relying on the rice you’re utilizing.

Is arroz con pollo spicy?

Arroz con pollo is extra of a savory dish than a spicy one. In fact, you may simply adapt the seasonings to incorporate extra cayenne, chili powder, or add extra jalapeño to amp up the spice.

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For the Hen Spice Rub

For the Hen and Rice

  • tablespoons olive oil
  • 6 bone-in, pores and skin on hen thighs, or drumsticks, or use boneless hen thighs
  • ¾ cups of chorizo slices, (¼-inch thick)
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
  • ¼ jalapeño, finely chopped
  • ½ medium purple bell pepper, finely chopped
  • cups white rice, raw
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
  • cups low sodium hen inventory
  • cups tomato sauce
  • contemporary cilantro, for garnishing
  • salt and pepper, to style


  • Make the spice rub and season the hen. In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cumin, chili powder, oregano, and cayenne till effectively mixed. Sprinkle the combination generously over the hen on all sides. Add salt and pepper to style.

  • Brown the hen. Add the oil to a big pot over medium warmth. Add the hen thighs and cook dinner them for 5-7 minutes on all sides or till browned. Take away the hen from the pot and switch it to a plate.

  • Cook dinner the chorizo. Place the chorizo in the identical pot and let it cook dinner for 5-6 minutes or till it releases its fats.

  • Cook dinner the veggies. Add the onions and carrots. Allow them to cook dinner for 5-7 minutes or till the onion softens. Add the garlic, jalapeño, and purple bell pepper. Cook dinner for an extra minute, stirring continuously.

  • Add the rice. Pour the rice into the pot and stir to mix with the opposite substances.

  • Add the liquids. Stir within the tomato sauce and broth. Enhance the warmth to medium and convey to a simmer, then scale back the warmth to low.

  • Mix and simmer. Add the hen again within the pan and convey it to a simmer. Cowl the pan with a lid and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes or till the rice is cooked by means of.

  • End and serve. Take away it from the warmth, set it apart, and let it cool for 10 minutes. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and serve.

Energy: 536kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 27g | Fats: 29g | Saturated Fats: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 5g | Monounsaturated Fats: 12g | Trans Fats: 0.1g | Ldl cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 382mg | Potassium: 652mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2860IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 3mg

Dietary data is an estimate and supplied as courtesy. Values could fluctuate in line with the substances and instruments used. Please use your most popular dietary calculator for extra detailed data.

The way to Make Arroz Con Pollo (Rice With Hen)

Able to convey an entire bucket-load of taste to the dinner desk? Nice! As a result of this one-pot arroz con pollo recipe couldn’t be simpler to make:

  • Season the hen. Begin by combining the substances for the spice rub, and sprinkle the seasoning generously over the hen.
  • Brown the hen. Subsequent, sear the hen in a big pot with oil over medium warmth. Cook dinner for 5-7 minutes per aspect till the meat is properly browned, then transfer it to a plate.
  • Cook dinner the chorizo and veggies. In the identical pot, brown the chorizo for 5-6 minutes to launch the fats. Then, sauté the onions and carrots for 5-7 minutes, adopted by the garlic, jalapeño, and purple pepper.
  • Add the rice. Now, stir within the rice, tomato sauce, and broth. Convey the pot to a simmer.
  • Add the hen and cook dinner. Nestle the hen again into the pot, cowl it with a lid, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, permitting the rice to cook dinner by means of.
  • Serve. Take the pot off the warmth to chill for 10 minutes, then serve heat, sprinkled with contemporary cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

No Peeking!

Similar to my no-peek hen with rice, don’t peek whereas the arroz con pollo is cooking! Sealing the pot with the lid traps the steam whereas the rice cooks. If you happen to carry the lid too early, it’ll have an effect on the completed texture.

A fork poking into arroz con pollo on a plate.A fork poking into arroz con pollo on a plate.

Storing and Freezing Leftovers

  • Refrigerate. Retailer your leftover arroz con pollo in an hermetic container within the fridge for 3-4 days.
  • Reheat. I’ve at all times discovered one of the best ways to reheat this hen and rice with out drying it out is to make use of a saucepan or skillet on the stovetop. Add a splash of water or broth to assist the rice steam and preserve the hen moist because it reheats.
  • Freeze. You may freeze arroz con pollo in a freezer-safe container for as much as 3 months. Thaw the hen and rice within the fridge earlier than reheating.

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