Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice Recipe: A Great Family Meal for 5

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Puerto Rican chicken and rice, dubbed Arroz con pollo, is an amazing one pot dish that you can make for dinner tonight.

Tender, succulent chicken is layered on flavorful rice tossed with some veggies and lots of seasonings, turning into one of the most delicious rice dishes you’ll have ever tried.

Why I Love this Recipe

My favorite part about this absolutely delicious dish is the fact that it can be a great hearty meal to serve the entire family.

I also have the flexibility to tweak the recipe based on what I have in my kitchen at the moment, and I’m always down for that.

This is a great recipe to make on the weekend, when you’re looking to put a nice, comforting rice recipe together in your kitchen.

Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice Cooking Time

Yield: 4-5 servings

Prep Time: 20 min

Bake Time: 50 min

Total Time: 1 hour and 10 min

Ingredients For the Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice

To make the Puerto Rican chicken and rice, you’ll need a few sets of ingredients.

Chicken Thighs

• 4-5 chicken thighs
• 11⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 3 Tablespoons Adobo seasoning

Adobo Seasoning

• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1⁄2 tsp Chili Powder
• 1⁄2 tsp Cayenne Powder
• 1⁄2 tsp Onion Powder
• 1⁄2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1⁄2 tsp Coriander
• 1⁄2 tsp Salt
• 1⁄2 tsp Black Pepper

One pot rice

• 1⁄4 cup canola oil or olive oil
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1⁄2 medium onion
• 1⁄2 tsp Coriander
• 1⁄2 tsp Cumin
• 1⁄2 tsp Turmeric
• 1⁄2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1⁄2 tsp Oregano
• 1 large bell pepper sliced
• 1 Jalapeno, diced
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 2-3 Tablespoons Fresh cilantro
• 2 cups uncooked long grain rice
• 1 cup frozen Peas
• 1 cup pitted green olives
• 4 cups chicken stock

How to Make the Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice

Once you have your ingredients ready, here’s what you’ll need to do to make the Arroz con pollo.

Step 1: Prepare the Adobo Seasoning

Add all of the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Set to the side.

Step 2: Season the Chicken Thighs

Wash, and pat dry the chicken thighs. Rub both sides with a generous amount of the adobo spice blend.

Step 3: Cook the Chicken

Place the chicken in a cast iron pan or Dutch oven. Cook the chicken for about 5 minutes on each side.

Step 4: Remove and Set Aside

Remove from the pan / Dutch oven and set aside.

Step 5: Add Veggies and Whole Spices

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F. Add the olive oil and onions, bell pepper , garlic , bay leaf, cilantro and cumin.

Step 6: Sauté and Add Tomato Sauce and Rice

Sauté over medium high heat until soft for 2-3 minutes. Now add the tomato sauce and rice to the peppers and onion mixture and gently mix to combine.

Step 7: Add Peas and Jalapenos

Now add the frozen peas, jalapenos, and toss to combine.

Step 8: Add Chicken on the Cooked Rice

Place the chicken on top of the rice mixture and add the chicken broth.

Step 9: Bake Until Done

Place it in the oven and cook for 30- 35 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. Allow the chicken to cool for 10 minutes then serve.

Step 10: Garnish and Serve

Garnish with the fresh cilantro.

Tips & Tricks to Make the Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice

Before you jump in and give the Arroz con pollo recipe a try, here are some tips and tricks you might want to take note of.

• While this recipe calls for the use of skinless chicken thighs, if you don’t have them, you can use chicken breasts as an alternative. In fact, you can also separate boneless chicken pieces from a whole chicken and use it for this recipe.
• Remember to use long grained white rice for this recipe- it will lend the best texture and flavor to the Puerto Rican rice.
• While green peas are a great choice, you can also use pigeon peas as an alternative. Pigeon peas are super nutritious and taste absolutely fantastic when added into
• Traditionally, Puerto Rican chicken makes use of Achiote oil, but if you don’t have it, you can use any other cooking oil of your choice.
• Apart from all the veggies that made it into this rice dish, you can also add some chopped red bell pepper, green bell peppers and even pimiento stuffed Spanish olives.
• If you love that characteristic crispy rice on the bottom, make sure you allow dish to cook well in the oven.
• You can easily make the Adobo seasoning in advance, but if you really don’t have the time, you can also make do with some store bought Sazon seasoning instead.

How to Store the Leftover Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice

You can store your leftover Arroz Con Pollo for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Just transfer everything carefully into a clean airtight container and you’re good to go.

This recipe is actually great for meal prep too!

How to Serve the Arroz Con Pollo

Just like most Puerto Rican rice dishes, you can serve the Arroz con pollo with a side salad or some Puerto Rican Sofrito sauce, which is basically a versatile salsa like concoction.

More Easy Main Recipes

Enjoyed trying this awesome recipe? Here are a few more recipes that are just as filling, nutritious and delicious.

• Best Instant Pot Butter Chicken Recipe
• Instant Pot Chicken Taquitos
• Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
• Instant Pot Mexican Beef Stew
• Best Instant Pot Chicken Stew
• Slow Cooker Chicken Stuffing Casserole