How to Make Arroz Con Pollo
Heat oil on the stove., Brown the chicken., Remove the chicken and set aside., Chop the vegetables., Cook the sofrito in your pot., Add optional seasonings., Add remaining ingredients to your pot., Bring it all to a boil., When the rice is done...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Heat oil on the stove.
Warm a sturdy pot over medium-high heat on the stove.
Add a one or two spoonfuls of oil to the pot and proceed to the next step.
Any oil with a reasonably-high smoke point should work well — vegetable/canola, grapeseed, and even milder olive oils should be fine.
If you're aiming for authenticity, try using a traditional Latin cooking pot called a caldero, which is similar to a dutch oven. -
Step 2: Brown the chicken.
Carefully spread the chicken pieces in the hot oil and cook until browned and somewhat crispy on both sides.
This should take about five minutes per side.
Be careful when working with hot oil (tongs are a good idea here.) You don't have to cook the chicken all the way through right now.
We're just trying to get a crispy, flavorful exterior — we'll cook the rest of the meat soon. , Once you've achieved a good sear on both sides of your chicken pieces, use tongs to remove them from the pot and place them in an easy-to-reach spot on the counter.
Don't drain the pot — we want to keep the drippings for flavor.Don't set the chicken pieces on paper towels, as these will absorb the grease from the chicken.
Instead, use a bare plate or platter. , Using a sharp knife and a cutting board, cut up the bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic, and cilantro.
Aim for a coarse puree — you want the chunks to be bite-sized, but large enough that you can easily identify them.
If using a food processor, try giving your ingredients a few quick pulses to avoid over-chopping.
You can always chop your ingredients more, but you can't put them back together if you chop them too much. , Combine your vegetables in the same pot you used for the chicken.
Cook over medium heat, using the chicken drippings as your grease, until the vegetables are heated all the way through and have begun to soften (approximately 5-10 minutes.) , At this point, you can add any extra spices or seasonings that you'd like to.
Though the Arroz con Pollo should taste great if you follow this recipe exactly, some chefs like to spice their sofrito up with some of their favorite flavors as a personal touch.
A few recommendations are listed below — you may use any you wish (or none at all.) 1 teaspoon black pepper (for a savory, smokey flavor) 1 teaspoon garlic powder (for a garlic-y taste) 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (for spicy heat) 2 tablespoons sliced Spanish olives (for salty, olive-y flavor) 1 teaspoon alcaparras (capers) (for salty, pickle-esque flavor) , To the same pot as you've been using for the rest of your ingredients, mix two cups of water, the uncooked rice, the salt, and the butter (optional).
Stir once, then cover with a lid.
At this point, the water level should be about an inch over the rice.
If it isn't, you may add additional water.
If you accidentally add too much water, you can always carefully drain some and allow the rest to boil off. , With the lid on, heat over medium until you see significant bubbles.
At this point, reduce the heat to low.
Let it simmer for 20 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. , Check the rice for taste and texture when the water is fully absorbed (you'll know the water is absorbed if you can scoop the ingredients to one side of the pan and not immediately see liquid leak into the cleared space.) If the rice has a somewhat soft, pleasing, "al dente" texture, it's done! Note that, because it incorporates the inner grain husk of the rice plant, brown rice can take an additional 20 minutes or more to cook., Here's the tricky part! At this point, your meal is essentially done — you can eat it and it will (hopefully) taste great.
However, if you want your Arroz con Pollo to be the best that it can be, let it sit with the lid on (and the heat from the stove off) for at least five minutes and as long as
30.
There are two reasons for this:
First, rice can have an uneven texture if served immediately after it finishes cooking.
Waiting allows the moisture redistribute from the wet, fragile rice at the bottom to the dry, fluffy rice at the top.Second, resting allows the muscle fibers in the chicken to re-absorb moisture that would otherwise be lost as soon as the meat is cut., Serve the dish as a mixture of chicken, rice, and sofrito.
Use any leftover sofrito from the pan to flavor to taste. -
Step 3: Remove the chicken and set aside.
-
Step 4: Chop the vegetables.
-
Step 5: Cook the sofrito in your pot.
-
Step 6: Add optional seasonings.
-
Step 7: Add remaining ingredients to your pot.
-
Step 8: Bring it all to a boil.
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Step 9: When the rice is done
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Step 10: remove from heat and serve.
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Step 11: Let the Arroz con Pollo rest for at least five minutes.
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Step 12: Serve and enjoy!
Detailed Guide
Warm a sturdy pot over medium-high heat on the stove.
Add a one or two spoonfuls of oil to the pot and proceed to the next step.
Any oil with a reasonably-high smoke point should work well — vegetable/canola, grapeseed, and even milder olive oils should be fine.
If you're aiming for authenticity, try using a traditional Latin cooking pot called a caldero, which is similar to a dutch oven.
Carefully spread the chicken pieces in the hot oil and cook until browned and somewhat crispy on both sides.
This should take about five minutes per side.
Be careful when working with hot oil (tongs are a good idea here.) You don't have to cook the chicken all the way through right now.
We're just trying to get a crispy, flavorful exterior — we'll cook the rest of the meat soon. , Once you've achieved a good sear on both sides of your chicken pieces, use tongs to remove them from the pot and place them in an easy-to-reach spot on the counter.
Don't drain the pot — we want to keep the drippings for flavor.Don't set the chicken pieces on paper towels, as these will absorb the grease from the chicken.
Instead, use a bare plate or platter. , Using a sharp knife and a cutting board, cut up the bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic, and cilantro.
Aim for a coarse puree — you want the chunks to be bite-sized, but large enough that you can easily identify them.
If using a food processor, try giving your ingredients a few quick pulses to avoid over-chopping.
You can always chop your ingredients more, but you can't put them back together if you chop them too much. , Combine your vegetables in the same pot you used for the chicken.
Cook over medium heat, using the chicken drippings as your grease, until the vegetables are heated all the way through and have begun to soften (approximately 5-10 minutes.) , At this point, you can add any extra spices or seasonings that you'd like to.
Though the Arroz con Pollo should taste great if you follow this recipe exactly, some chefs like to spice their sofrito up with some of their favorite flavors as a personal touch.
A few recommendations are listed below — you may use any you wish (or none at all.) 1 teaspoon black pepper (for a savory, smokey flavor) 1 teaspoon garlic powder (for a garlic-y taste) 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (for spicy heat) 2 tablespoons sliced Spanish olives (for salty, olive-y flavor) 1 teaspoon alcaparras (capers) (for salty, pickle-esque flavor) , To the same pot as you've been using for the rest of your ingredients, mix two cups of water, the uncooked rice, the salt, and the butter (optional).
Stir once, then cover with a lid.
At this point, the water level should be about an inch over the rice.
If it isn't, you may add additional water.
If you accidentally add too much water, you can always carefully drain some and allow the rest to boil off. , With the lid on, heat over medium until you see significant bubbles.
At this point, reduce the heat to low.
Let it simmer for 20 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. , Check the rice for taste and texture when the water is fully absorbed (you'll know the water is absorbed if you can scoop the ingredients to one side of the pan and not immediately see liquid leak into the cleared space.) If the rice has a somewhat soft, pleasing, "al dente" texture, it's done! Note that, because it incorporates the inner grain husk of the rice plant, brown rice can take an additional 20 minutes or more to cook., Here's the tricky part! At this point, your meal is essentially done — you can eat it and it will (hopefully) taste great.
However, if you want your Arroz con Pollo to be the best that it can be, let it sit with the lid on (and the heat from the stove off) for at least five minutes and as long as
30.
There are two reasons for this:
First, rice can have an uneven texture if served immediately after it finishes cooking.
Waiting allows the moisture redistribute from the wet, fragile rice at the bottom to the dry, fluffy rice at the top.Second, resting allows the muscle fibers in the chicken to re-absorb moisture that would otherwise be lost as soon as the meat is cut., Serve the dish as a mixture of chicken, rice, and sofrito.
Use any leftover sofrito from the pan to flavor to taste.
About the Author
Denise Williams
Committed to making DIY projects accessible and understandable for everyone.
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