Cuban Arroz Con Pollo (Cuban Chicken & Rice)

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Bone-in, skin-on chicken (thighs and drumsticks). We usually stick with chicken thighs because they are the most flavorful. You can use drumsticks too, or break apart a whole chicken into pieces. I personally would not recommend chicken breast since it is pretty dry but if that’s what you have, do you!

• Cuban sofrito. This is the holy trinity of every Cuban recipe. A combination of onions, peppers, and garlic forms the foundation of this dish along with the tomato sauce, vino seco (dry cooking wine), chopped red pimientos, and spices.

• Sazon & spices. For this recipe, we’re using Sazon Goya Con Azafran which is a blend of spices in a small packet that includes saffron, garlic, cumin, and annatto to color the rice. Aside from that, we’re using a bay leaf, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper.

• Homemade Chicken Stock. Mami and I made our own stock for this recipe by dissolving a chicken bouillon cube in water. Bouillon cubes are made from concentrated stock and they add such a rich depth of umami flavor to this classic rice dish. You can also use chicken bouillon powder if that’s what you have on hand.

• Rice. This dish is usually made with Valencia short-grain rice or medium-grain rice but we like to keep it easy over here so we use long-grain rice. Use what you have!

Step-By-Step Instructions

In a large pot or Dutch oven, add the oil and chicken pieces. Turn on the heat to medium-high. You want to add the chicken to the cold oil so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot (pro tip!). Once you start hearing the oil sizzling, brown the chicken on all sides.

Reduce heat to medium. Add in the sofrito (onions, green bell peppers, and garlic) with the chicken. Carefully fold the chicken with the sofrito and cook for 1-2 minutes. Make sure the sofrito doesn’t burn, keep an eye on it.

Add the vino seco (dry cooking wine), tomato sauce, chopped red pimientos, Sazon Goya, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir gently to combine. Cook for 3-4 minutes.

Meanwhile, let’s make the homemade chicken stock. Dissolve 1 chicken bouillon cube into 1 cup of hot water. If you’re using chicken bouillon powder, use 1 tablespoon. Stir until it is completely dissolved.

Add the homemade chicken stock to the pot with the remaining cups of water and the rice. Bring to a boil, uncovered, stirring slightly so nothing gets stuck to the bottom of the pot. Reduce heat to LOW and cover the pot. Simmer with the lid on. No peeking!

Cooking low and slow will ensure the rice doesn’t burn or dry out.

After 30 minutes, remove the lid and stir the rice so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Cover with the lid again and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

After 40 minutes, give the rice another stir and make sure it is cooked.

How do I know if the rice is cooked?

Test it out by tasting a small spoonful. The rice is cooked when it has absorbed most of the liquid and has become tender.

• If the rice is not yet cooked, turn the heat off, place the lid back on, and let it continue to cook with the residual heat for another 5-10 minutes.
• If the rice is cooked, remove from the heat. Stir in the frozen peas so they warm through with the residual heat.

PRO TIP! Remove the chicken pieces and shred them with two forks then place them back into the pot before serving. Mami does this so it is easier for guests to serve and enjoy.

Troubleshooting

Authentic Cuban arroz con pollo is all about that perfect texture: tender, moist, slightly sticky, and just a tad bit oily. It’s like the goldilocks of rice dishes – not too dry, not too moist, just right.

Rice is crunchy or dry?

Crunchy or dry rice is the result of overcooking the rice. Arroz con pollo should be more on the moist, tender side than on the dry, grainy side.

To fix crunchy, dry rice, you can add 1 cup of water to the pot, cover it with a lid, and let it simmer at LOW heat for 5 minutes. This will help the rice absorb more moisture and soften up.

Rice burned or stuck to the bottom of the pot?

Ugh, I’m so sorry this happened. Burnt rice happens to the best of us! Even though a little bit of ‘raspa’ never hurt anyone. ;)

First things first, don’t scrap the burnt rice. Instead, carefully transfer the unburnt parts to a serving dish, leaving the burnt layer behind. If the burnt taste has already seeped in, you might want to start fresh.

Next time, try using a Dutch oven or a large pot with a heavy bottom and a lid (like this one). A thick, heavy bottom is sturdy and will retain heat well so it won’t overcook the rice.

Also, remember to cook LOW AND SLOW and stir the rice after 30 minutes to prevent sticking.

Serving Suggestions

My favorite Cuban side dishes to serve with this classic arroz con pollo are:

• Sweet Plantains (Maduros)
• Tostones (Twice-Fried Plantains)
• Ensalada de Aguacate (Avocado Onion Salad)

Storage Tips

• Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 hours. Transfer any remaining arroz con pollo to the fridge and enjoy within 3-4 days.
• For longer storage, portion the cooled arroz con pollo into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Quick Reheating Instructions

When reheating rice using the skillet method, add just enough water to create steam. I do not recommend reheating in the microwave.

Start by adding the amount of chicken and rice that you’d like to reheat in a skillet. Add 2 tablespoons of water for every cup of arroz con pollo.

Turn on the heat to medium-high and let it cook for a few minutes, occasionally stirring gently to ensure even heating.

The steam will rehydrate the rice, making it moist and fluffy again. Once heated through, remove from the heat and enjoy.