All my life I’ve liked my Mother’s rice and beans. As most of you already know, my mother is full Puerto Rican and so are my grandparents. Once I was younger, we mainly lived off rice and beans. Don’t get me fallacious, my mother made a whole lot of recipes, however that was the one I remembered essentially the most.
Years later, I found that cooking from your individual heritage was a good way to faucet into your roots, create nostalgia and bear in mind these particular moments with your loved ones.
This Puerto Rican hen and rice recipe is simply a type of comforting, nostalgic ones that I come again to time and time once more. I like this recipe as a result of the whole lot is made in a single pan, is straightforward to prepare dinner, surprises folks with its distinctive, scrumptious taste and is ideal for meal prep.
Now it’s essential to keep in mind that everybody’s model of arroz con pollo is completely different — that’s the good half about cooking is which you can actually make it your individual. That is our tackle it, and one I do know you’re going to like!
What’s arroz con pollo?
Arroz con pollo actually interprets to “rice with hen” in Spanish. It’s a standard dish in Spain and Latin America and is one which I grew up on due to my Puerto Rican grandparents and mother! The hen and rice are cooked in a single pan or pot with a beautiful mix of spices and a do-it-yourself sofrito.
Every little thing you’ll have to make Puerto Rican hen & rice
You’re going to LOVE how scrumptious and nourishing this recipe is. My mother’s explicit Puerto Rican tackle arroz con pollo includes a couple of particular twists:
- Hen: I like to make use of boneless, skinless hen thighs as a result of they’ve the very best taste.
- Selfmade adobo seasoning: you’re going to toss the hen in adobo seasoning, which consists of 9 scrumptious spices (together with salt & pepper).
- Selfmade sofrito: We’re making the holy trinity of taste right here and the bottom for many Puerto Rican dishes: inexperienced bell pepper, cilantro (or culantro if yow will discover it!) and onion. You then’ll add your sazon spices and tomato sauce and say good day to DELICIOUSNESS.
- Selfmade sazon: sazon is a very fashionable Puerto Rican spice and I like making it from scratch with this recipe! It flavors the rice SO a lot and pulls the entire dish collectively.
- Tomato sauce: you’ll additionally want some tomato sauce (and water) to prepare dinner the rice with the sofrito.
- Rice: I like utilizing white basmati rice due to how fluffy the rice will get.
- Peas: inexperienced pigeon peas are one in all my favourite issues. Sadly, they are often troublesome to seek out. I usually buy them within the Hispanic part of my grocery retailer, head to our native Hispanic retailer, or buy off Amazon. Don’t fear although — if you wish to use frozen peas as a substitute that’s completely an choice and normally what I do as a result of I usually have them available.
Can I swap the rice?
I extremely suggest utilizing white basmati rice for the very best texture, however you could possibly additionally use cauliflower rice or 2/3 cup quinoa. I’d NOT suggest utilizing brown rice as a result of it takes for much longer to prepare dinner.
Easy methods to make one pan Puerto Rican hen and rice
- Marinate your hen. Begin by tossing your hen in a bowl with olive oil and the adobo spices. Cowl and let the hen marinate for at the very least half-hour.
- Brown the hen. Subsequent, brown the hen in a giant skillet with olive oil by cooking it for about 4-5 minutes on every. Switch the hen to a plate
- Make the sofrito. In the identical skillet add the garlic, jalapeño, inexperienced pepper, onion and cilantro and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the sazon spices and prepare dinner for 30 seconds, then stir within the tomato sauce and water.
- Add the rice. Convey the combination to a simmer, then fold within the rice, peas, and olives (if utilizing). Add your browned hen on prime.
- Simmer & serve. Scale back the warmth to low, cowl the skillet, and let the whole lot prepare dinner for about 20-25 minutes till the rice is totally cooked. Garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of contemporary lime juice and serve!
Serving & storing suggestions
- To serve: this arroz con pollo recipe is ideal for serving a crowd as a result of you possibly can simply double the recipe.
- To retailer: merely retailer any leftover hen & rice in hermetic containers within the fridge for as much as 4-5 days. This recipe is ideal for meal prep!
Extra household recipes to attempt
Get all of my globally-inspired recipes right here!
In the event you make this Puerto Rican hen and rice recipe be certain and tag #ambitiouskitchen on Instagram or depart a remark beneath and charge it so I can know the way you favored it. Thanks for being right here — have a stunning week! xo.
Mama’s Puerto Rican Hen and Rice (Arroz con Pollo)
My mama’s well-known Puerto Rican hen and rice, often known as arroz con pollo, is made in a single pan with do-it-yourself adobo seasoned hen sofrito and savory rice. This comforting dish is straightforward to make and the right nourishing weeknight meal. You may make this recipe time and again!
Substances
- For the hen:
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1 ½ kilos boneless skinless hen thighs
- For the adobo seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon purple cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Freshly floor black pepper
- For the sofrito & rice:
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup finely diced inexperienced pepper
- ¼ cup finely diced white onion
- ¼ cup finely diced cilantro
- Non-compulsory: 1 jalapeno, diced
- ¼ teaspoon floor coriander
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon floor turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 1 cup basmati white rice (don’t use brown, it is going to take too lengthy to prepare dinner)**
- ⅔ cup frozen peas (or rinsed and drained pigeon peas)
- OPTIONAL: ½ cup pitted inexperienced olives
Directions
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Add hen to a big bowl. Add in 1 tablespoon olive oil and your adobo seasoning: cumin, paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, coriander, salt and pepper. Use clear palms to toss the hen within the combination. Cowl and permit hen to marinate for half-hour, or you possibly can skip this utterly and start the cooking course of!
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Subsequent add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to a big deep 10 inch skillet and place over medium excessive warmth. (In the event you should not have a skillet a big pot can even work very effectively!) As soon as oil is scorching, add in hen and season with just a little extra salt and pepper. Cook dinner till browned 4-5 minutes, then flip and and prepare dinner an extra 4-5 minutes. Take away from pan and switch to a plate.
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In the identical skillet (it ought to be greased sufficient already for sauteing) you’ll make your sofrito by including in garlic, jalapeno, diced inexperienced pepper, diced onion and cilantro.
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Saute for 2-3 minutes, then add in your spices (often known as do-it-yourself sazon spices): cumin, turmeric, coriander, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper and prepare dinner for 30 seconds. Then add in tomato sauce and water and stir effectively to mix.
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Convey to a simmer then fold within the rice, peas and olive (if utilizing) ensuring they’re evenly distributed. Add browned hen on prime.
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Scale back warmth to low, cowl the skillet instantly and prepare dinner for 20-25 minutes.
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After 20-25 minutes, a lot of the liquid ought to be absorbed and rice ought to be cooked. Serve instantly. Garnish with cilantro and serve with a squeeze of contemporary lime juice.
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To meal prep: This meal serves 4. Place rice in a meal prep containers and prime with 1 hen thigh. Garnish with cilantro.
Recipe Notes
In case you are on the lookout for a grain different, I’d suggest subbing about 2/3 cup quinoa. The cooking time and liquid ratio will keep the identical.
Diet
Serving: 1servingEnergy: 485calCarbohydrates: 46.8gProtein: 37.6gFats: 18.8gSaturated Fats: 4.1gFiber: 4.6gSugar: 5g
This put up was initially printed on April sixteenth, 2018, republished on March twelfth, 2022, and republished on October fifteenth, 2023.
