Rice with Chicken (Arroz con Pollo) is a very common dish in the Latin culture. Every Latin culture has its own recipe. Sofrito, a special blend of herbs and vegetables sautéed in a tomato-oil based sauce, is what gives our cuisine its unique flavor and aroma.
I prepare this dish with bone-in skinless chicken thighs because they provide a richer and more intense flavor. However, you can select the chicken parts of your preference. Futhermore, during the fall season, I usually make several pots of chicken stock and store in the freezer to have available when I decide to prepare the Rice with Chicken. You can, of course, purchase chicken stock at your local market.
Marinating the Chicken Thighs!
In a bowl, add 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon lite salt or to taste and ¼ teaspoon cumin. Mix all the ingredients until well blended.
Rinse 5 bone-in skinless chicken thighs and place in a bowl. Pour the marinade over the chicken thighs and coat them evenly with the marinade. Cover bowl with lid and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Rinsing the White Rice!
Using a fine-mesh strainer, rinse and drain 2 cups of long-grain white rice with cold water to remove some of the starch content.
NOTE: In our culture, we normally use the medium grain white rice. I prefer the long grain because it has a firmer and dryer texture and tends to separate when cooked, creating a fluffy light rice. The medium grains are very moist and soft and will stick together when cooked.
Searing the Chicken Thighs!
Preheat a 4-quart saucepan (caldero) with 1 tablespoon of canola oil over high heat. Place the chicken thighs into saucepan and sear the meat to lightly brown on one side.
Carefully turn the thighs over to the other side to sear.
Once the chicken thighs are seared on both sides, place them on a plate and set aside.
Sautéing the Condiments!
In the same saucepan, add the following ingredients over medium heat: 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2 tablespoons tomato sauce and 2 tablespoons of sofrito made with culantro.
NOTE: Click on this link for preparing Sofrito or Sofrito for a Single Meal.
Continue with 1½ teaspoons of lite salt or to taste, 3 sprigs of chopped cilantro, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 16 pimiento-stuffed green olives.
Culantro (recao) is an aromatic herb, and I love to add 2 to 3 fresh culantro leaves from my garden. With my fingers, I cut the leaves into small pieces.
NOTE: Culantro leaves can be purchased at your local Latin Market. If you are unable to purchase or grow culantro, then double the amount for cilantro. Click on this link for more information about Culantro.
Lastly, add 1 seasoning envelope with Coriander and Annatto.
NOTE: The seasoning envelopes can be purchased at your local Latin market as well. If unavailable, click on this link to create your own Special Blend of Seasonings.
Stir all the ingredients until well blended and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Preparing the Rice with Chicken!
Place the chicken thighs back into the saucepan.
Coat them evenly with the tomato-oil based sauce.
Pour 2½ cups of unsalted chicken stock.
Bring the liquid to a boil.
When the liquid is boiling, add 2 cups of the long-grain white rice.
Stir rice well into liquid, making sure that the rice is completely submerged into liquid.
When the liquid starts to boil again, reduce heat to a simmer. Cover saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, and cook for 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.
Turning the Rice with Chicken!
The rice has absorbed most of the liquid after 15 minutes of cooking.
Gently turn the rice by inserting a spoon to the bottom inside edge of the saucepan.
Bring the bottom rice to the top.
As I turn the rice, you can see that the rice is getting tender. Insert the spoon again and continue turning the rice around the inside edges of the pot. Try to lift the whole chicken thighs when turning the rice to avoid the meat from coming apart from the bones.
Once the rice is completely turned, cover saucepan with lid and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until the rice is tender.
After 20 minutes of simmering, check the rice for doneness. The rice has such a beautiful color. The chicken and rice are definitely cooked and tender. The Rice with Chicken (Arroz con Pollo) is ready to be served. By the way, most of the olives are in the bottom of saucepan.
Rice with Chicken (Arroz con Pollo)!
As I mentioned earlier, Rice with Chicken (Arroz con Pollo) is a very common dish in the Latin culture. We love to serve this rice dish with a salad, avocado slices, and tostones.
Click on the button below to watch my YouTube Video on How to Prepare Rice with Chicken (Arroz con Pollo)!
Recipe and Nutritional Facts!
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. Please refer to our Nutritional Facts Disclaimer for more information.

Rice with Chicken (Arroz con Pollo)
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 50 Minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 5 Servings 1x
Description
Arroz con Pollo is a very common dish in the Latin culture. Every Latin culture has its own recipe. A delicious one pot meal that consists of chicken and rice with intense tropical flavors!
Ingredients
- 5 bone-in skinless chicken thighs, rinse
- 2½ cups unsalted chicken stock
- 2 cups long-grain white rice, rinse
Marinating Ingredients
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon lite salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Condiments
- 1 seasoning envelopes with coriander and annatto
- 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
- 3 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons sofrito
- 16 pimento-stuffed green olive
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1½ teaspoon lite salt or to taste
- 2 to 3 small culantro (recao) leaves, cut into pieces
Instructions
- Add the marinating ingredients in a bowl. Mix until well blended.
- Place chicken thighs in bowl. Pour marinade over the chicken and coat them evenly.
- Cover with lid and place in refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a 4-quart saucepan (caldero) over high heat. Sear chicken until both sides are lightly browned. Remove from saucepan, and place on a large plate.
- In the saucepan, add the condiments and mix until well blended. Saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Place the chicken thighs back into the saucepan and coat them evenly with the tomato-oil based sauce.
- Pour the unsalted chicken stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the long-grain white rice. Stir rice well into liquid.
- When the liquid starts to boil again, reduce heat to a simmer. Cover saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.
- Gently turn the rice by inserting a spoon to the bottom inside edge of the saucepan and bringing the bottom rice to the top.
- Cover saucepan with lid and continue simmering for 20 to 30 minutes or until the rice is tender.
- Category: Rice Dish
- Method: Stewed
- Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Keywords: Arroz con Pollo, Rice with Chicken