Arroz con Pollo - Hispanic Chicken and Rice Recipe Card
This is a true Latin American comfort food. My Panamanian style arroz con pollo is a very easy recipe to make with chicken breast, garlic, recaito, onions, peas and carrots. This recipe comes together very quickly if you do not have much time for a weeknight meal.
Ingredients
For the rice:
- 1 cup long grain rice rinsed
- 1 ¾ cups water
- ¾ Tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
For the chicken:
- 1 chicken breast split in half
- 1 Tbsp canola oil
- 2 carrots diced
- 1 onion small, diced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 2 Tbsp recaito
- ¼ cup peas
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp oregano
Instructions
Prepare the rice:
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Rinse the rice in a strainer until the water runs mostly clear. In a sauce pan on medium heat place ¾ Tbsp. of olive oil and rice and stir until hot.
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Add the water and salt. Bring to a boil. Turn heat down to medium, cover. Cook for about 20 minutes. Remove cover and fluff. Leave uncovered until ready to use.
Prepare the chicken:
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While the rice is cooking: In a small dish, mix together salt, pepper, oregano and garlic powder. Sprinkle over split chicken breast. Allow chicken to absorb the seasonings for about 1 hour.
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In a skillet on medium heat add the canola oil once hot sauté the chicken until brown on both sides. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes on low.
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Once the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F remove from the skillet and allow to rest for about 10 minutes on a cutting board. Once cooled slightly dice into ½ inch cubes.
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In the same skillet the chicken was cooked in, turn the heat to medium, place 1 Tbsp. olive oil, diced carrots, garlic, recaito and onion. Cook until onions are translucent.
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Add the diced chicken and toss until well blended. Cover and cook on low until the carrots are soft.
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Add the rice and blend thoroughly. Add the peas right before serving.
Recipe Notes
Top tips for perfect arroz con pollo
- Long grain rice will produce a fluffy texture.
- Use a roaster chicken shredded or chicken breast.
- Get creative with the veggies, every house and country makes the dish differently.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- How long can I store this in the refrigerator? Once it has completely cooled you can store this in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave on medium power until hot but stop and stir every 30 seconds to fluff it up.
- Can I freeze this dish? Yes, once it has completely cooled you can pack into zip top freezer bags packed flat to save space and expel all the air. This will keep for a month in the freezer. Thaw it completely and microwave is as described above.
- Can I use leftover rice to make this? Sure, this is a great way to use up leftover rice. Prepare the chicken and vegetables then stir in the rice. It is also a great way to use leftover chicken or even a store bought roaster chicken.