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Soupy Rice with Chicken (Asopao de Pollo)


  • Author: Aida's Kitchen®
  • Prep Time: 15 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 55 Minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 6 Servings 1x

Description

Soupy Rice with Chicken (Asopao de Pollo) is a soup that is thickened with rice and has a creamy texture similar to gumbo and risotto.   A hearty meal that will warm you up during the cooler months and rainy days.


Scale

Ingredients

Condiments to Season Chicken:

  • 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon of dry oregano leaves
  • ½ teaspoon of black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon of lite salt or to taste

Searing the chicken:

  • pounds bone-in skinless thighs, rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Sautéing the Condiments:

  • 1 teaspoon Lite salt or to taste
  • 12 pimiento-stuffed green olives, cut in halves
  • 2 minced garlic cloves
  • ¼ cup of chopped green bell pepper
  • ¼ cup of chopped onions
  • 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
  • 3 sprigs of chopped cilantro
  • 4 ajies dulces, chopped
  • 2 culantro leaves (recao), chopped
  • ½ cup diced lean ham (this is optional)
  • 1 seasoning envelope with coriander and annatto
  • 2 bay leaves

Cooking the Soupy Rice:

  • 3 cups of unsalted chicken stock
  • 4 cups of water
  • ¾ cup of long-grain white rice, rinsed
  • 1 can (8.5 ounces) sweet peas, drained

Instructions

  1.   In a bowl, add the condiments to season chicken and stir well.
  2.   Season the chicken thoroughly with condiments on both sides.  Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
  3.   Sear the chicken in a 4-quart saucepan with 1 tablespoon oil over high heat until both sides are lightly brown.   Remove from saucepan and set aside.
  4.   Using the same saucepan, add all the ingredients for sautéing the condiments.   Stir until well blended and sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
  5.  Place the seared chicken thighs back into saucepan and coat them evenly with the tomato-oil based sauce.  Simmer for 2 minutes.
  6.  Pour the liquids into saucepan and bring the liquid to a boil.
  7.   Add the rice and peas to the boiling water.  Stir well.  Cover saucepan with lid and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.
  8.   Reduce heat to low medium and cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and the soup thickens to your liking.
  9.   Make sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked and rice is tender before serving.

Notes

Please note that the asopao will become thicker the next day because the rice tends to absorb more of the liquid.  If it becomes too thick, just add some more chicken stock before reheating the asopao.

  • Category: Soups
  • Method: Simmering
  • Cuisine: Puerto Rican

Keywords: Asopao, Asopao de Pollo, Soups, Soupy Rice with Chicken