Surprise family and friends with this One-Pot Meal Chicken & Rice Recipe (Arroz Con Pollo)! What’s not to love about Arroz con Pollo? Arroz con Pollo is a combination of chicken with rice. It is a classic dish in Spain and Latin America.
Arroz con Pollo(Chicken & Rice)
This a dish that brings me so much joy every time I make it. It was a staple recipe in my household as a child, and now it’s part of my weekly rotation. I can say for certain that it is still served in most households in the Dominican Republic and any other Latin American country. There are many different versions of this recipe, and it can be unique depending on the country. This version of Arroz con Pollo is one I saw my mother and grandmother made so many different ways depending on what they had on hand and even what the occasion was. Arroz con pollo made it as simply just combining the well-seasoned chicken and white rice. However, for a more elaborate way of making it, they will add peppers, onions, olives, and capers, as I did in this recipe. Both ways taste amazing.
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What makes this Arroz con Pollo so flavorful?
I like to infuse the chicken with lots of flavors. The seasoning will determine how good your Chicken and Rice will taste. I seasoned the chicken with my homemade sofrito or sazon, as is called in many countries of Latin America.
Arroz con Pollo is authentically cooked in a pot called Caldero, which is a heavy bottom pot. This is a must-have tool in any Latin American kitchen. However, I decided to make it in my dutch pot for this recipe as I know it’s not too common for people to have a Caldero in their kitchen. But if you do, don’t hesitate to use it. When using this type of pot, the rice will stick to the bottom, creating what in the Dominican Republic is called “Concon or Pegao,” which is the crusty, crispy rice, and be honest, it tastes delicious, especially with some creamy red beans!. I use a Caldero to cook my Rice and Beans ( Moro de Habichuelas). Please take a look at my youtube video where I showed you the Pegao or concon.
Arroz con Pollo
Ingredients you’ll need to make Arroz Con Pollo
- 2 cups white rice
- 2 ½ pounds chicken ( boneless skinless chicken breast and legs)
- 2 tablespoon homemade sofrito
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ cup peppers (any of your preference) seeded and chopped
- 1/2 cup olives and capers
- 2 sprigs of cilantro
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce (or tomato paste)
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce (low-sodium)
- lime
- 3 ½ cups of water
- * Substitution to sofrito :
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of salt (or to taste)
* I use my mortar and pestle to create a paste.
Let’s talk about the chicken 🙂
The first thing I do is cut the chicken into the desired size depending on what part of the chicken you are using. I decided to use chicken breast and drumsticks. You can use any part of the chicken you like. I removed the skin from the chicken pieces instead of my preference and rinse the chicken with cool water and vinegar(optional). If you do, make sure to remove excess water before seasoning.
How to make Arroz Con Pollo:
- Season, the chicken with 2 tablespoons of my homemade sofrito or substitution. Squeeze a small lime, stir and set aside to marinate for a few minutes, and proceed with the next step:)
Then, dice the onion and peppers. I decided to use green, orange, yellow bell pepper, and a small jalapeno(optional). Have the rest of the ingredients ready and set aside!
Next, place a pot over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. I use my heavy bottom pot for this. Then, place the chicken and continue cooking the chicken until all the pieces are browned. This will take about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Add peppers, onion, cilantro, olives, and capers. Add 1/2 cup of tomato sauce (or you can use 1 tablespoon of tomato paste). I also added a teaspoon of soy sauce(make sure it is low-sodium).
Then, add 2 cups of white rice.* I like to rinse the rice with cool water before cooking(optional). Just make sure to remove all the excess water before adding the rice to the mixture. 
Bring to a boil and stir a few times to avoid the rice from sticking to the bottom and burn. This is when you can adjust the salt content to your liking (taste the water). This is also the perfect time to add some extra sofrito to add more flavor!
Reduce the heat to medium-low until the water starts to evaporate. As soon as all the water evaporates, stir one last time and cover the pot. Reduce the heat to the lowest level and cook for about 30 to 40 minutes or until the rice is fluffy and tender. 
That’s it! You have a complete, satisfying one-pot dinner that you and your loved one will enjoy 🙂
Below you will find a convenient printable recipe card. Please, feel free to leave any comments and/or suggestions. I would be delighted to hear from you all.
One-Pot Meal Chicken & Rice Recipe (Arroz Con Pollo)
Ingredients
Ingredients you’ll need to make Arroz Con Pollo
- 2 cups white rice
- 2 ½ pounds chicken boneless skinless chicken breast and legs
- 2 tablespoon homemade sofrito
- 1 small lime
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ cup peppers any of your preference seeded and chopped
- olives and capers
- 2 sprigs of cilantro
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce or tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce low-sodium
- 3 ½ cups of water
Instructions
How to make Arroz Con Pollo:
- Season the chicken with 2 tablespoons of my homemade sofrito or use substitute in Notes. Squeeze a small lime, stir and set aside to marinate for a few minutes and proceed with the next step:)
- dice the onion and peppers. I decided to use green, orange, yellow bell pepper, and a small jalapeno(optional). Have the rest of the ingredients ready and set aside!
- Place a heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Then, place the chickenand cook the chicken until all the pieces get browned. This will take about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Next, add peppers, onion, cilantro, olives, and capers. Add 1/2 cup of tomato sauce (or you can use 1 tablespoon of tomato paste). I also added a teaspoon of soy sauce(make sure is low-sodium).
- Then, add 2 cups of white rice.* I like to rinse the rice with cool water before cooking(optional). Just make sure to remove all the excess water before adding the rice to the mixture.
- Bring to a boil and stir a few times to avoid the rice from sticking to the bottom and burn. This is when you can adjust the salt content to your liking (taste the water). This is also the perfect time to add some extra sofrito to add more flavor!
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, until the water starts to evaporate. As soon as all the water evaporates, stir one last time and cover the pot. Reduce the heat to the lowest level and cook for about 30 to 40 minutes or until the rice is fluffy and tender.
Notes
3 garlic cloves minced
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of salt (or to taste)
Nutrition
*Nutritional Disclaimer: Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate
Please let me know how it turns out for you! Leave a comment, rate it, and not forget to tag your pictures to #asimpletweakrecipes on Instagram. Make sure to pin it to your favorite Pinterest board Enjoy 
Until the next one…
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