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Arroz con pollo is a staple in Latin cuisine made with savory yellow rice and chicken. My version is far from traditional Puerto Rican arroz con pollo, so don’t come for me! My method is different but this dish turns out delicious every time. I like to shred the chicken and add moisture with a secret ingredient (see below!). This recipe has caused a lot of controversy on social media because it’s different but I urge you to give it a try. It is one of my go to meals to cook for my family. It’s kid-friendly and always hits the spot! With savory yellow rice and shredded chicken breast, it’s a hearty meal that satisfies and stores well for leftovers the next day.

How to make arroz con pollo?

There are many ways to cook arroz con pollo but this is my favorite way to make it. I begin by stewing chicken breasts. Since the chicken is going to cook in water, you’ll want to season generously. I love using Healthy Rican seasonings. They are a healthy alternative to traditional Latin seasonings that contain harmful ingredients and dyes. Use my code “madewithsazon” for 10% OFF your order!

Add sofrito, tomato sauce and chicken bouillon paste to a pot and cook a few minutes until fragrant. Add the chicken breast, half of an onion and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and cover. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Remember to reserve that chicken broth for later!

I then use the chicken broth to cook the rice in, which adds tons of flavor. Pro tip: store any leftover broth from stews and soups in the freezer and use it to cook yellow rice. The flavor it adds is insane! Thank me later.

I shred the chicken while the rice cooks. I also like to add mayonnaise to the chicken, which adds moisture. I know it sounds crazy but trust me on this! You can’t really taste the mayonnaise and the heat will melt it so it won’t even be visible. Once the rice is cooked, I toss everything together to combine. Deliciousness!

What to serve with arroz con pollo?

I like to serve arroz con pollo with beans and a side of veggies. Usually I go with green beans, peas or broccoli. Sometime I make a mixed greens salad or an avocado and tomato salad with red onions. Tostones or maduros (sweet plantains) also pair well with arroz con pollo.

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Arroz con Pollo

Arroz con pollo is a staple in Latin cuisine made with savory yellow rice and chicken.

5 from 11 votes

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

For Chicken

2-3 Chicken breasts
Adobo, to taste Healthy Rican
1 tsp Garlic powder
1 tsp Onion powder
1/2 tsp Ground oregano
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1 onion halved
1/2 green bell pepper
1 bay leaf optional
1/4 cup sofrito
2 tbsp tomato sauce
2 tbsp chicken bouillon paste Better than Bouillon
4 1/2 cups water
2 tbsp mayonnaise optional

For Rice

2 tbsp annatto oil see notes
2 cups Jasmine rice
1/4 cup Sofrito
2 tbsp Tomato sauce
1 tbsp Chicken bouillon paste Better than Bouillon
3 cups Chicken broth (from stewed chicken breasts)
1/4 cup pimento stuffed green olives optional
Adobo, to taste Healthy Rican
1/2 tbsp Sazon Healthy Rican
1 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp Onion powder
1 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Ground oregano
1/2 tsp Ground cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

Prepare Chicken

Season the chicken breasts generously and set aside.
In a small pot, sautee sofrito, chicken bouillon and tomato sauce until fragrant.
Add chicken breasts, half of the onion and water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and cover. Simmer for about 30 minutes.
Remove chicken from broth and place on a plate to cool. Reserve the chicken broth for later.

Prepare Rice

Thoroughly rinse your rice with cold water. Drain and set aside.
In a large pot, sautee sofrito, chicken bouillon and tomato sauce on medium high heat until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
Add broth, seasonings, rice, the remaining half of the onion and oil. Stir well.
Bring to a boil and cover. Reduce to medium low heat and cook for 20-25 minutes.
After the rice has cooked for 20-25 minutes, uncover, remove onion and gently flip rice over in sections by using a large spoon. This ensures the rice cooks evenly. Cover and continue to cook on very low heat, if needed.

Shred Chicken

While the rice is cooking, shred your chicken breast. I like to use a cheese grater to shred the chicken easily but you can pull the chicken apart with a fork or however you like. Add the mayonnaise and stir until well combined. Set shredded chicken aside.
Once the rice has cooked, add the shredded chicken to the rice and stir to combine throughout. You can do this in a separate pot or large pan to make the process easier.
Serve with beans and sides of choice. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

How to make annatto oil (aceite de achiote)

Add oil to small saucepan over medium heat. Add annatto seeds.
Allow seeds to infuse the oil for about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat when oil starts to bubble. Be sure not to burn the annatto seeds.
Allow oil to cool before storing in a glass bottle.

Why add mayonnaise?

I like to add moisture to the shredded chicken with a little bit of mayonnaise. The heat from the chicken and rice will melt the mayonnaise right in. I promise you won’t even know the mayonnaise is there. This recipe has caused a lot of controversy on social media because it’s different but I urge you to give it a try!