A classic across various countries, this recipe for arroz con pollo is my Mexican take on this delicious chicken dish. Packed full of juicy chicken, rice, and bite-sized veggies, this chicken and rice is the perfect wholesome meal!
Mexican Chicken with Rice
Chicken and rice- so simple yet so delicioso!
When you smell the aromas of arroz con pollo wafting through your kitchen, a rice stew with chunks of chicken cooking in a clay pot, your mind wanders to a distant place, like a kitchen on a farm where a grandmother is cooking just for you.
In This Post
The juices that the chicken releases impart an incredibly delicious flavor to the rice. The vegetables you add (like carrots) also benefit from these wholesome flavors making this Mexican arroz con pollo an amazing meal.
The Mexican Version Of Arroz Con Pollo
Many Latin-American countries have their own version of arroz con pollo. In fact, I think it’s safe to say that every single home cook has their own version; some add red or green peppers while others add olives and other local ingredients.
The types of ingredients for the chicken with rice can even depend on the economic situation. For example, when I was growing up, my mother used to add hot dog sausages to her arroz con pollo recipe sometimes. And let me tell you- it was still delicious!
I think that chicken with rice has without a doubt one of the most harmonious combinations of ingredients out of all the one-pot dishes. Additionally, the arroz con pollo is easy to make and uses simple ingredients that can be found anywhere!
I invite you to prepare this wonderful dish and enjoy it with your family.
Homemade Mexican Arroz Con Pollo
This is my own version of arroz con pollo. I know that some of you might remember your mom’s or grandma’s versions, and if so, I hope you share them with me in the comments section!
Here is a list of ingredients you will need to make this dish...
- Rice
- Chicken
- Salt and pepper
- Oil
- Carrots
- Onions
- Frozen green peas
- Garlic cloves
- Plum tomatoes
- Cilantro (optional)
Please note: For exact measurements of the ingredients listed above, scroll down to the recipe card located at the bottom of this post!
Cooking Tips:
- For this specific recipe, I recommend using long grain rice.
- Place the green peas in a small bowl with warm water to defrost. Make sure to drain them and then set them aside until you are ready to use them in this recipe.
- You can use any part of the chicken, just make sure that all the pieces are roughly the same size so that they can cook evenly. I recommend using boneless chicken thighs or chicken breasts.
- To cook this chicken with rice, I used the clay cooking pot from Ancient Cookware.
How To Make Arroz Con Pollo: Step By Step Tutorial
To make things easier for you, I am going to break down the directions to this recipe into sections.
Clean The Rice
- Before you start cooking anything, take the time to properly clean the rice. To do this, rinse the rice in a bowl and let it sit for a few minutes to allow the impurities to be washed from the rice.
Cook The Chicken
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large cazuela or pot and add the chicken pieces.
- Cook for 5 minutes per side.
- Remove from the pot and set to the side for now.
Add The Rice In
- After the rice has been soaked, drain the rice using a strainer.
- Stir the rice into the same pot and cook over medium-high heat for 3 minutes.
Note: Before adding the rice to the cazuela, make sure that there is only about one tablespoon of oil in it.
Prep All Of The Veggies
- Add the diced carrots and the chopped onions to the rice pot.
- Place the chopped tomato and garlic in your blender along with ¾ cups of warm water and process until smooth.
Mix All Of The Ingredients Together
- Pour this mixture over the rice and let it cook for a couple of minutes.
- Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat and season the rice with salt.
- Adds the chicken pieces and cover the arroz con pollo.
- Cook for 1 minute and then add the cilantro sprigs and the drained green peas.
Let It Rest And Enjoy!
- After you are done cooking, remove the arroz con pollo from the heat and let it rest for 12-15 more minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
What To Serve Alongside Mexican Chicken With Rice
This dish is already jammed packed with everything you need. You have protein, a carb and veggies!
If you are wanting to include a few more veggies, consider making this recipe for easy steamed squash.
More Authentic Mexican Recipes To Enjoy
If you enjoyed this recipe for arroz con pollo, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican recipes:
- Chicken With Creamy Poblano Sauce
- Pollo Pibil Recipe
- Chicken Veracruz Style
- Easy Chicken Stew (Olla Tapada)
- Braised Chicken With Tomatoes
I hope you make this recipe for Mexican chicken and rice! If this recipe was of any help to you, come back to let me know your experience. Please leave us a comment done below and tell us all about it!
¡Buen provecho!
Mely,
📖 Recipe
Arroz con Pollo
Ingredients
- 1 cup of rice*
- 4 pieces of chicken
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons of oil
- ½ cup carrots diced
- ⅓ cup onion
- ½ cup frozen green peas**
- 2 small garlic cloves or 1 large garlic clove
- 2 plum tomatoes about 8 oz., chopped
- Salt to taste
- 3 cilantro sprigs
Instructions
- Rinse the rice and place in a bowl. Cover with warm water and let it soak for 15 minutes.
- While the rice is soaking, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large cazuela or pot. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces and cook for 5 minutes per side. Remove from the pot and set aside.
- Now it is time to cook the rice. Drain the rice using a strainer and shake to make sure it doesn’t have any excess moisture. Before adding the rice to the cazuela, make sure that there is only about one tablespoon of oil in it. If you see more oil or fat from the chicken in the cazuela, remove it, since too much oil will render a mushy rice. Now, stir in the rice and cook over medium high heat for 3 minutes.
- Add the diced carrots and the chopped onions. Cook for 3 more minutes.
- Place the chopped tomato and garlic in your blender along with ¾ cups of warm water and process until smooth.
- Pour this mixture over the rice and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat, season with salt, add the chicken pieces, and cover the pot. Cook for 1 minute, then add the cilantro sprigs and the drained green peas (see note above). Keep cooking for 6-8 more minutes.
- After you are done cooking, remove the Arroz con Pollo pot from the heat and let it rest for 12-15 more minutes. Some cooks cover the pot with a kitchen towel in order to absorb all the moisture from the rice.
(Check to see if your rice needs a little bit more water. If it does, add a couple of tablespoons of hot water at a time. Remember that the chicken will also release its own moisture. Just make sure to check the rice, and do not add too much liquid.)
Notes
NEW COOKBOOK
BUY IT NOW
Shannon Margaret Campbell
I had the same problem as another commenter, the chicken was undercooked and the rice was overcooked, mushy and broken. I had to put the chicken in the oven to get it completely cooked. They were small pieces of chicken, fully defrosted. Not sure what went wrong. Flavours were good.
Mely Martínez
Hello Shannon:Thank you for trying out the recipe and sharing your feedback. I'm sorry to hear that you encountered issues with the chicken being undercooked and the rice turning out mushy. It's great to hear that you enjoyed the flavors though! Based on your experience, a few things might have contributed to these issues. Firstly, the size of the chicken pieces can affect cooking time. If they were larger, resulting in some pieces being undercooked. Next time, try adjusting the size of the chicken pieces or the cooking time accordingly.
If you decide to give this recipe another try, feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further assistance. Your feedback is valuable, and I hope your next attempt turns out perfectly!"
Ms. Michelle Latimer
This recipe sounded too good to pass up, and I am glad to let you know that it turned out delicious. I decided to pierce a whole Serrano pepper for flavor and added that in too. Next time I would add some Caldo de Tomate instead of salt to bring out the color, or some saffron or turmeric for a yellow color if I desired. I served it with your recipe for Mexican Squash as you recommended for more vegetables. I also added 3 TBSP of corn to the rice that I had leftover to use up. My husband liked this recipe very much as he does not like food that makes his "mouth burn"....I did not tell him about the Serrano I snuck in....he never tasted the heat. Fabulous recipe to add to my repertoire; many thanks Mely!
Mely Martínez
Hello Michelle,
Although the recipe includes tomatoes, it is nice to hear the addition of Caldo de Tomate also enhances the flavors. I'd love to know if by Caldo de Tomate you mean tomato sauce.
nicole Martinez
She’s talking about the knorr boillion caldo de jitomate you can buy it in most stores.
Greg
Thank you for all your recipes. This one I will make tonight 🙂
Gideon
no spices or chiles?
Mely Martínez
Hello Gideon,
That's right, compare to TEX-MEX food that adds a lot of cumin, we only add garlic and onion to our rice. I know there is a lot of misconceptions about Mexican food. But, in Mexico, we do not add a lot of spices to our meals.
Ashley Saber
I was just wondering if you use bone in chicken or boneless chicken?
Mely Martínez
Hello Ashley,
I usually use bone-in chicken when making Arroz con Pollo.
Ali
Oops. Forgot to rate it. 5 stars easily.
Ali
This is a great recipe! I’ve made it 3 times now & counting. Gracias Mely!
Vanessa Gagne
I love your recipes and have made a couple others that worked great. This recipe took an extra 30 minutes and the rice did not turn out right at all. I wish there was a better way to troubleshoot this one! The flavor however was on point.
mmartinez
Hello Vanessa,
Did the chicken pieces were big and at room temperature when you started cooking the rice. That is something that I have to add to the recipe. Since some people use chicken that has been in the freezer and if not defrosted right, it will still release some of its own juices, and add more liquid to the rice. Making the rice mushy or the chicken takes longer to cook. I do hope you give the recipe another chance later one. Thank you for your comment, I appreciate the feedback. Happy cooking.
Robert E. Nengasca
Really very happy to say, your post is very interesting to read. I never stop myself to say something about it. You’re doing a great. The food looks delicious that makes me want to try the ARROZ CON POLLO.
Pam Gould
Where I live in Mexico we only have fresh peas. Are they OK to use? It looks amazing.
mmartinez
Hello Pam,
Of course you can use the fresh ones. Happy cooking!
Anonymous
Looks delicious....I think I will try this.