Browning the chicken first builds layers of flavor and allows the rice to soak up the savory drippings. The hearty one-pot dish comes together in under an hour. The combination of seasonings — adobo, sazón, and annatto — delivers warmth, color, and a complex flavor.
Arroz con pollo, or rice with chicken, might be one of the most recognizable staple dishes from Latin America. My Puerto Rican family prepared it often when I was growing up. The dish is an expression of Puerto Rican mixed ancestry; comparable to Spanish paella but strikingly similar to Nigerian jollof rice, it reflects European and West African influence on the island’s culture and cuisine.
At its core, arroz con pollo is super-basic and adaptable. I layer flavor starting with dry-rubbed chicken, seared until golden brown. Next, I sauté aromatics like onion and bell pepper in the drippings before stirring in warm chicken broth and rice. I nestle chicken back into the brothy rice and simmer them together for a simply delicious one-pot dinner. Warming the broth is an important step, as it speeds up the cook time for the rice and helps ensure the grains are evenly cooked from top to bottom. The tastier the broth, the more flavorful the dish, so I strongly encourage homemade chicken broth.
Above all, don’t fuss too much over this dish. Get your seasoning right, then set it and forget it. Avoid the urge to take the lid off, stir, or adjust the seasoning before it’s done cooking. Fresh ripe avocados and tomatoes, a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, a hit of lime juice, and hot sauce for added brightness are all perfect to accompany the savory rice and chicken. Make this dish your own, and it’ll likely be in heavy rotation in your household. —Von Diaz
What is ground annatto?
Ground annatto, sometimes called achiote powder, is made from the seeds of the achiote tree. The seasoning adds a mild sweetness and earthy flavor with subtle peppery notes, as well as a reddish hue. It’s commonly used as an ingredient in Latin American, Caribbean, and Filipino cooking, including dishes like Pollo Yucateco Asado and Chicken Inasal. Find ground annatto at Latin American grocery stores or online at thespiceway.com.
How to cook perfect rice
The key to great arroz con pollo is to avoid stirring once the rice is in the pot, as stirring then will make your rice gummy. Instead, carefully shake the lidded pot during the cooking process — using pot holders to grip the handles, then either shaking back and forth or swiveling left to right — to prevent the rice from sticking too much to the bottom.
You really can’t shake it too much. That said, a little pegao or concón — the toasted rice that sticks to the bottom of composed rice dishes, similar to Persian tahdig or Vietnamese cơm cháy — is welcome.
Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
When browning the chicken, don’t move it until a golden brown crust has formed on the bottom.
Let the arroz con pollo rest off the heat, covered, for 10 minutes to allow the rice to finish steaming.
This dish would be great served with tostones or maduros.
Suggested pairing
Pair this Latin American classic with a full-bodied South American Chardonnay, like Viña Cobos Felino.
This recipe was developed by Von Diaz; the text was written by Von Diaz and Paige Grandjean.
Dining and Cooking