Arroz con Pollo
This Arroz con Pollo (Rice with Chicken) is a weeknight staple. It's a one-pot meal packed full of flavor and makes for incredible leftovers.
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 3 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
For the Rice
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 jalapeno, finely diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ tesapoon mexican oregano
- 1 cup tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
- 1.5 cups water or stock
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
- Fresh cilantro and lime juice to garnish
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the spices for the chicken and stir to combine. Coat the chicken in the oil and spice mixture. In a large Dutch Oven, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Once oil is shimmering, add in chicken in batches 4 thighs at a time, seasoning with salt and pepper and searing on both sides for 4-5 minutes. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan, as you want the chicken to get a nice sear rather than just steam. Remove from the pan and transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- In the same Dutch Oven, add another swirl of olive oil if needed and sauté the bell pepper, onion and jalapeño for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rice and all the spices and cook for 30 seconds until garlic is fragrant and rice starts to toast. Then add in tomato sauce and water and stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer and nestle the chicken (and the peas if you're using) on top. Reduce heat to low, cover the Dutch Oven and cook for 20-25 minutes until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is tender to the bite. If the rice is still a bit al dente, add another splash of water and let cook for 3-5 minutes more.
- After 20-25 minutes, most of the liquid should be absorbed and rice should be cooked. Serve immediately. Garnish with cilantro and serve with a squeeze of fresh lime juice
Nutrition
Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 786mg | Potassium: 493mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 495IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg