Arroz con Pollo, or Spanish chicken and rice, is a classic Latin American one-pot dinner that’s full of flavor, texture, and color. Juicy chicken is paired with flavorful yellow rice and an abundance of fresh veggies. It’s a perfect dish to introduce your family to new flavors and cuisine!
Why You’ll Love This Arroz con Pollo Recipe
Arroz con pollo is more than just chicken and yellow rice – it’s a celebration of flavors, cultures, and traditions. Here’s why you’ll love it:
- Full of Flavor: The chicken is so tender and juicy, the rice is fluffy and aromatic, and the vegetables add great texture and color. The sazon with saffron gives the dish a beautiful yellow hue and rich taste. Every bite is a delight!
- One-Pot Wonder: Arroz con pollo is a hearty, one-pot meal that is easy to make and even easier to clean up!
- Comforting: Spanish chicken and rice is a dish that will warm you up from the inside out. It’s hearty, satisfying, and so cozy.
- Family-Friendly: It’s a great way to introduce your kids to new flavors. They’ll love the chicken and rice combo, and you’ll love that they’re eating their veggies!
Love easy chicken and rice dinners? Try this crockpot chicken and rice, easy chicken and rice soup or this comforting chicken broccoli rice casserole.
What You’ll Need
To make this delicious arroz con pollo recipe, you’ll need some basic ingredients and a few seasonings found in the Latin aisle of the grocery store. Scroll down to the recipe card for exact amounts.
- Chicken: We used chicken thighs and drumsticks. You can use any bone-in, skin-on chicken.
- Veggies: Onion, garlic, peas, bell pepper, corn, olives, and pimentos.
- Rice: Any long-grain white rice, like basmati rice, will work here.
- Chicken Broth: We opt for a low-sodium version so we can control the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Olive Oil
- Seasonings: Sazon with saffron, adobo seasoning, salt and pepper.
How to Make Arroz con Pollo
Making Spanish chicken and rice is easier than you think. It’s a simple process that involves just a few steps and a little bit of simmering. Scroll to the recipe card at bottom of the post for full detailed instructions.
- Sear: Pat the chicken dry, season with adobo seasoning, and sear on both sides until nice and golden brown. Do this in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Rice: Set the chicken aside and add the onion and garlic and cook in the drippings. Add the rice and sauté until it turns from opaque to white. Add the Sazon and diced tomatoes, and give it all a good stir.
- Simmer: Add the broth, being sure to scrape up all the chicken bits from the bottom of the pan. Nestle the chicken into the rice, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, until chicken and rice is cooked.
- Finish: Once cooked, remove the chicken and stir in all the remaining veggies. Add the chicken back in, cook for a few more minutes, and you’re ready to serve!
Cook’s Tips
Here are some tips and tricks to ensure your arroz con pollo turns out perfect every time:
- Brown the Chicken: This isn’t a step you want to skip! Browning the chicken gives the skin a great texture and flavor. Plus, all those chicken drippings add a massive depth of flavor to the overall dish!
- Toast the Rice: Toasting the rice in the chicken drippings until it browns ever so slightly gives it a rich and nutty flavor you won’t be able to resist.
- Timing: You can add all the ingredients (peas, red pepper, corn, olives, and pimento) when you add all the broth if you wish. We prefer to add them later so they don’t get too soft, but it won’t hurt the dish if you choose to do so.
- Spice it Up: If you want to make this dish spicy, you can add some chopped jalapeños or cayenne pepper. While not traditional arroz con pollo is not very spicy, feel free to make it your own!
How to Store Chicken and Yellow Rice
Tender chicken and yellow rice is a dish that tastes great the next day, the day after, and even the day after that! Here’s how to store and reheat:
- Fridge: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Reheat: Place a portion in a microwave-safe bowl, cover it with a damp paper towel, and heat it for about 2 minutes, until hot. Give it a good stir half way through so it heats evenly. You can also heat it up in the oven if you have a little more time at 350°F for about 15 minutes.
- Freeze: Freeze cooled leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
More Easy Latin Inspired Dishes
- Spanish Chicken and Rice
- Crockpot Mexican Chicken
- Easy Beef Enchiladas
- Mexican Corn Salad
- Crockpot Chicken Tacos
- Easy Taco Soup
Yield: 6 servings
Arroz con Pollo
Arroz con pollo, or Spanish chicken and rice, is a classic Latin American dish that's full of flavor, texture, and color. Juicy chicken is paired with flavorful yellow rice and an abundance of fresh veggies. It's a perfect dish to introduce your family to new flavors and cuisine!
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters, cut apart
- 2 tablespoons adobo seasoning
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 cups basmati rice, long-grain white rice
- 1 packet Sazon with Saffron
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
- ½ cup fresh or frozen peas
- ½ cup fresh or frozen corn
- ½ cup green olives, whole or sliced
- ¼ cup pimentos, drained and chopped
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with adobo seasoning. Heat the oil in a large heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Sear the chicken in batches, until all sides are nice and browned. (The chicken will continue cooking with the rice.)
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Then add the onion, garlic, and rice to the drippings. Toast the rice, stirring constantly, until it turns from opaque to white.
- Season the rice with the sazon, add the bell peppers and 5 1/2 cups of broth and stir to combine. Nestle the chicken into the rice and cover the pan with a lid. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes, until the rice is tender and there is very little moisture left.
- Remove the chicken and stir in the remaining ½ cup broth, peas, corn, olives, and pimentos. Use a fork to lightly combine.
- Place the chicken back into the pan and simmer for 3 more minutes, just to heat everything through again. Serve immediately!
Notes
Store: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheat: Place a portion in a microwave-safe bowl, cover it with a damp paper towel, and heat it for about 2 minutes, until hot. Give it a good stir half way through so it heats evenly. You can also heat it up in the oven if you have a little more time at 350°F for about 15 minutes.
Freeze: Freeze cooled leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Brown the Chicken: This isn’t a step you want to skip! Browning the chicken gives the skin a great texture and flavor. Plus, all those chicken drippings add a massive depth of flavor to the overall dish!
Toast the Rice: Toasting the rice in the chicken drippings until it browns ever so slightly gives it a rich and nutty flavor you won’t be able to resist.
Timing: You can add all the ingredients (peas, red pepper, corn, olives, and pimento) when you add all the broth if you wish. We prefer to add them later so they don’t get too soft, but it won’t hurt the dish if you choose to do so.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 527kcal, Carbohydrates: 63g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 0.04g, Cholesterol: 60mg, Sodium: 309mg, Potassium: 589mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 1064IU, Vitamin C: 41mg, Calcium: 53mg, Iron: 2mg
