All my life I’ve liked my Mother’s rice and beans. As most of you understand, my mother is full Puerto Rican and so are my grandparents. Once I was younger, we principally lived off rice and beans. Don’t get me improper, my mother made tons of of recipes, however that was the one I remembered essentially the most.
Years later, I found that cooking from your personal heritage was a good way to faucet into your roots, create nostalgia and keep in mind these particular moments with your loved ones.
This Puerto Rican rooster and rice recipe is simply a kind of comforting, nostalgic ones that I come again to time and time once more. I like this recipe as a result of every little thing is made in a single pan, is straightforward to cook dinner, surprises folks with its distinctive, scrumptious taste and is ideal for meal prep.
Now it’s necessary to keep in mind that everybody’s model of arroz con pollo is completely different — that’s the nice half about cooking is that you would be able to actually make it your personal. 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 rooster” in Spanish. It’s a conventional dish in Spain and Latin America and is one which I grew up on because of my Puerto Rican grandparents and mother! The rooster and rice are cooked in a single pan or pot with an exquisite mix of spices and a do-it-yourself sofrito.
Every thing you’ll have to make Puerto Rican rooster & rice
You’re going to LOVE how scrumptious and nourishing this recipe is. My mother’s explicit Puerto Rican tackle arroz con pollo entails a number of particular twists:
- Rooster: I like to make use of boneless, skinless rooster thighs as a result of they’ve the most effective taste.
- Home made adobo seasoning: you’re going to toss the rooster in adobo seasoning, which consists of 9 scrumptious spices (together with salt & pepper).
- Home made 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 you’ll find it!) and onion. Then you definately’ll add your sazon spices and tomato sauce and say whats up to DELICIOUSNESS.
- Home made sazon: sazon is a very standard 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 cook 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 considered one of my favourite issues. Sadly, they are often tough to search 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 often what I do as a result of I typically have them available.
Can I swap the rice?
I extremely advocate utilizing white basmati rice for the most effective texture, however you may additionally use cauliflower rice or 2/3 cup quinoa. I might NOT advocate utilizing brown rice as a result of it takes for much longer to cook dinner.
The way to make one pan Puerto Rican rooster and rice
- Marinate your rooster. Begin by tossing your rooster in a bowl with olive oil and the adobo spices. Cowl and let the rooster marinate for no less than half-hour.
- Brown the rooster. Subsequent, brown the rooster in a massive skillet with olive oil by cooking it for about 4-5 minutes on every. Switch the rooster 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 cook 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 rooster on prime.
- Simmer & serve. Scale back the warmth to low, cowl the skillet, and let every little thing cook dinner for about 20-25 minutes till the rice is totally cooked. Garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of recent 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’ll be able to simply double the recipe.
- To retailer: merely retailer any leftover rooster & 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!
For those who make this Puerto Rican rooster and rice recipe be certain and tag #ambitiouskitchen on Instagram or go away a remark beneath and charge it so I can know the way you appreciated it. Thanks for being right here — have a stunning week! xo.
Mama’s Puerto Rican Rooster and Rice (Arroz con Pollo)
My mama’s well-known Puerto Rican rooster and rice, also referred to as arroz con pollo, is made in a single pan with do-it-yourself adobo seasoned rooster sofrito and savory rice. This comforting dish is straightforward to make and the proper nourishing weeknight meal. You may make this recipe repeatedly!
Elements
- For the rooster:
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1 ½ kilos boneless skinless rooster 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
- Elective: 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 would take too lengthy to cook dinner)**
- ⅔ cup frozen peas (or rinsed and drained pigeon peas)
- OPTIONAL: ½ cup pitted inexperienced olives
Directions
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Add rooster 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 arms to toss the rooster within the combination. Cowl and permit rooster to marinate for half-hour, or you’ll be able to skip this fully 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. (For those who should not have a skillet a big pot can even work very nicely!) As soon as oil is scorching, add in rooster and season with slightly extra salt and pepper. Prepare dinner till browned 4-5 minutes, then flip and and cook dinner a further 4-5 minutes. Take away from pan and switch to a plate.
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In the identical skillet (it must 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 (also referred to as do-it-yourself sazon spices): cumin, turmeric, coriander, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper and cook dinner for 30 seconds. Then add in tomato sauce and water and stir nicely 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 rooster on prime.
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Scale back warmth to low, cowl the skillet instantly and cook dinner for 20-25 minutes.
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After 20-25 minutes, many of the liquid must be absorbed and rice must be cooked. Serve instantly. Garnish with cilantro and serve with a squeeze of recent lime juice.
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To meal prep: This meal serves 4. Place rice in a meal prep containers and prime with 1 rooster thigh. Garnish with cilantro.
Recipe Notes
If you’re in search of a grain different, I might advocate 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.
