Arroz con Pollo
Arroz con Pollo is a vibrant and flavorful Latin American classic, combining tender chicken, aromatic spices, and perfectly cooked rice into a satisfying one-pan meal. This recipe features juicy chicken quarters that are browned to develop a crispy, golden skin before being baked atop a bed of rice infused with saffron, cumin, and bay leaves. The addition of colorful bell peppers, green chilies, and smoky Andouille sausage adds layers of depth and complexity to the dish, making it both comforting and exciting.
The cooking process involves sautéing a medley of vegetables and sausage to soften and release their flavors, which are then combined with the rice and rich chicken stock before baking everything together. Covering the pan with parchment and foil helps trap steam and cook the rice and chicken evenly, while a final uncovered bake crisps up the chicken skin to perfection. This method ensures the rice is tender and fragrant, while the chicken remains juicy and flavorful.
To finish, the dish is garnished with fresh cilantro, shredded cabbage, and a bright, zesty Pico de Gallo salsa. The salsa, made from tomatoes, peppers, onions, jalapeños, lime juice, and cilantro, adds a refreshing contrast that balances the richness of the chicken and sausage. Together, these components create a hearty, colorful meal that’s perfect for sharing with family and friends.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 7 oz. chicken quarters
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 4 teaspoons garlic, minced
- ¼ pound Red onions, diced to ¼ inch
- 3 oz. green peppers
- 2 oz. yellow peppers
- 1½ oz. canned green chili, chopped
- 3 oz. Andouille sausage, cooked & sliced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 pint rice, uncooked
- 32 oz. water
- 1 oz. low sodium chicken base
- Pinch saffron
- 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro
- Pico de Gallo, recipes follows
- 1½ oz. cabbage green shredded thin
Directions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees
- Mix Pico de Gallo (recipe below) and marinate in refrigerator
- Heat skillet over medium heat
- Pat chicken dry, remove any excess fat and season with salt and pepper
- Add oil to hot skill and brown chicken quarters, skin side down for 4 – 5 minutes
- Drain any excess fat from pan and add garlic, sweating briefly
- Add onions, bell peppers, green chilies and sausage. Sauté for 3 – 4 minutes until peppers begin to soften
- In a separate kettle, heat water to boiling. Add chicken base, cumin, bay leaves and saffron
- Place rice into 13×9 pan and add pepper, onion and sausage mixture
- Pour chicken stock over rice and arrange chicken quarters atop rice
- Cover pan with parchment and foil.
- Place in oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165 degrees and rice is tender
- Remove foil and parchment from pan and return to over to re-crisp chicken skin
- Add to plate and top with cilantro, Pico de Gallo and shredded cabbage
Pico de Gallo
- 4 oz. plum tomatoes (remove seeds)
- 2 oz. green peppers, diced
- 2 oz. red onions, diced
- 1½ teaspoon fresh jalapeno, minced
- ¼ teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
- 1½ TBLS fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2½ Tablespoon fresh lime juice
Directions
- Combine all ingredients and let marinate for ½ hour in refrigerator
Arroz Con Pollo
Materials
Arroz con Pollo
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 7 oz chicken parts
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 4 tsp garlic minced
- ¼ pound red onion diced to ¼ inch
- 3 oz green pepper
- 2 oz yellow pepper
- 1 ½ oz canned green chili chopped
- 3 oz Andouille sausage cooked & sliced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 pint rice uncooked
- 32 oz water
- 1 oz low sodium chicken base
- pinch saffron
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro
- 1 ½ oz green cabbage shredded thin
Pico de Gallo
- 4 oz roma tomato seeds removed
- 2 oz green peppers diced
- 2 oz red onion diced
- 1 ½ tsp fresh jalapeno minced
- ¼ tsp fresh garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 2 ½ tbsp fresh lime juice
Instructions
Arroz con Pollo
- Heat oven to 375 degrees
- Mix Pico de Gallo (recipe below) and marinate in refrigerator
- Heat skillet over medium heat
- Pat chicken dry, remove any excess fat and season with salt and pepper
- Add oil to hot skill and brown chicken quarters, skin side down for 4 – 5 minutes
- Drain any excess fat from pan and add garlic, sweating briefly
- Add onions, bell peppers, green chilies and sausage. Sauté for 3 – 4 minutes until peppers begin to soften
- In a separate kettle, heat water to boiling. Add chicken base, cumin, bay leaves and saffron
- Place rice into 13×9 pan and add pepper, onion and sausage mixture
- Pour chicken stock over rice and arrange chicken quarters atop rice
- Cover pan with parchment and foil.
- Place in oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165 degrees and rice is tender
- Remove foil and parchment from pan and return to over to re-crisp chicken skin
- Add to plate and top with cilantro, Pico de Gallo and shredded cabbage
Pico de Gallo
- Combine all ingredients and let marinate for ½ hour in refrigerator