Chicken And Yellow Rice (Arroz Con Pollo)

Deliciously buttery, colorful, and packed with flavor ⏤ this Arroz Con Pollo recipe truly has it all: fluffy tinted rice, tender chicken, sauteed onions, peppers, garlic, carrots, peas, cumin, oregano, raisins (optional) and butter for some extra flavor and creaminess!

Chicken And Yellow Rice (Arroz Con Pollo)

Hey guys! I’m excited to be sharing with you today’s recipe: a delicious Arroz Con Pollo made with long rice, tender shredded chicken, sauteed peppers, onions, garlic, peas, spices, raisins, and butter. It’s tinted with achiote oil but I’ll provide other options if you don’t have that on hand!

It’s flavorful and deliciously buttery, with tons of veggies and perfectly tender chicken. Literally the perfect Chicken And Yellow Rice recipe for when you want to a dish that has it all so you don’t have to bother with a main, side, etc. It comes together in just 40 minutes and it’s very easy to make!

Why you’ll love this dish:

• It’s packed with flavor.
• It features both chicken and veggies.
• It’s deliciously buttery!
• Very filling ⏤ no need to work on another dish!
• The rice is spiced and fluffy.
• The chicken is juicy and tender.
• Easy to make.
• Ready in 40 minutes!

Ingredients and substitutions

• Oil. Use a neutral flavored oil like vegetable, sunflower or canola.
• Chicken. Skinless. Bone in or boneless. You will simply sautee the chicken and then shred it. Some people like to poach it or make their own homemade broth at home as this recipe uses broth so that’s another option if you have some extra time on hand and prefer poached chicken.
• Rice. Stick to long rice for this recipe. Make sure to wash it 3-4 times or until the water runs clear. Don’t skip this process as it’s what will make your rice nice and fluffy. Why? Washing removes any excess starch that may otherwise turn your rice mushy.
• Broth. I recommend using low-sodium chicken broth for this recipe.
• Achiote. Achiote is a spice and natural food coloring extracted from a shrub, typical of Latin America. It’s sold as an oil, paste, powder, or even seeds that you can grind at home. The plant is also known as the source of annatto. I like to use achiote in oil form, just like this one. The flavor is very mild and similar to that of saffron so if you don’t have achiote at home, you can use a tiny amount of saffron instead, just enough to tint the rice.
• Chicken. Skinless. Bone in or boneless. You will simply sautee the chicken and then shred it.
• Garlic paste or just freshly pressed garlic.
• Red onion. Thinly sliced.
• Peppers. Use a mix of red and yellow bell peppers and a serrano pepper. Remember, this rice is called “Party Rice” so it’s supposed to be fun and colorful, the more colored peppers you add in, the better!
• Carrot. Sliced.
• Peas. I usually stick to canned peas as they’re ready to go but you can also use frozen, thawed and cooked.
• Cumin. Use ground cumin.
• Oregano. Use dried oregano.
• Cilantro. Use fresh cilantro, chopped.
• Parsley. This is optional and I usually just omit it as I’m not a huge fan of parsley.
• Raisins. These are optional. Some people add them and some don’t. I’ve learned a little trick to add them in without picky eaters noticing lol. You just blend them with some broth and make sort of a raisins juice and then add it to the skillet. I recommend doing this so you can get all the extra flavor from the raisins!
• Soy sauce. This is *very* optional if that’s even a thing lol. Soy sauce isn’t a traditional ingredient but a lot of people have started adding it in to give it some extra flavor and color. I like it both with and without soy sauce, the difference is very subtle. If you wanna keep it traditional, leave it out.
• Butter. Now, this is a must. You’ll add it in at last but it’ll make *all* the difference and it’s what will turn your rice extremely tender and buttery! Margarine will also work.

How to make Chicken And Yellow Rice

1. Cook the chicken. You can poach the chicken in a pot filled with water *or* just saute it in a pan with oil and spices, which is what I do. For poaching: add the chicken to a large pot, season with salt and pepper, cover with water then place over medium heat and allow the water to come to a simmer, reduce the heat and cook until fully cooked through. For sauteing: add some oil to a large non-stick skillet over high heat, once the oil is hot, add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook until golden brown on one side, then flip and cook until golden brown again.
2. Shred the chicken. Once the chicken is ready, transfer it to a plate and shred it using two forks and set aside.
3. Cook the rice. Add the washed rice to a large pot, add the broth and stir. Taste for salt. Add more salt if necessary, then add the achiote oil and stir. Cook covered until the broth has absorbed completely, then reduce the heat and steam for a few minutes or until the rice is nice and fluffy. While the rice is cooking, I recommend starting to work on the veggies (step 4).
4. Saute the veggies. Add the achiote oil or oil and achiote paste/powder or just oil to a large pan, saute the onions until lightly golden, no need to let them soften completely. Add in the garlic paste and saute until the raw smell goes away, if using garlic simply add the garlic and saute until fragrant. Add the peppers and saute until slightly softened, just a few minutes. Stir. Add the carrots and peas and stir. Season with cumin, oregano, and add the herbs. Salt, then taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Allow to saute for a few minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the raisins (if using).
5. Prepare the raisins. Soften the raisins by submerging them in hot water, let them sit for a few minutes, then add them to a blender or food processor along with some of the chicken broth and blend until mostly smooth, a few smaller bits are okay. Set aside.
6. Add broth. Add some of the chicken broth and the raisin juice to the skillet and saute until the liquid cooks off. You can add some soy sauce now if desired.
7. Transfer the veggie mixture to the rice and stir to combine. Add butter and stir again. Serve hot!

What goes well with Arroz Con Pollo?

This dish is traditionally served along with some maduro (fried ripe plantains) so if you can get your hands on some of those, by all means do it and treat yourself! It’s such a delicious combo.

You can also serve it with tostones (fried green plantains), chifles (super thin and crispy green plantain chips), or a fried egg on top.

Some crumbled quesillo (similar to queso fresco or feta but milder) would also be delicious if sprinkled on top. Me being be, I’d also add a few spoonful of queso blanco, just because.

Also, if you’re looking for an appetizer to go with it, *please* just make a batch of these chewy cheesy Pan De Yuca buns! You’ll thank me!!

Can I make it ahead of time?

Eh. Rice is best eaten as it’s made so I wouldn’t recommend it for best flavor and texture.

How do you store any leftovers?

Store it covered or in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days then reheat it until steaming hot and serve. Do not chill and reheat again, only do this once.

How do you reheat it?

Add the rice to a pan, add 1-2 tbsp of water and cook covered over medium heat for just 2-3 minutes. Remove the lid, it should be steaming hot. Serve!

HAPPY COOKING!! I hope you’ll love this Chicken And Yellow Rice Recipe as much as I do! 

PS: Please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ⭐️ if you make it! Your comments make my day!! You can also tag me on Instagram @itsdamnspicy 🌈💘

MORE RICE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE…

• Spiced Somali Rice
• Mushroom Biryani
• Greek Lemon Rice 
• Mexican Pulled Chicken And Rice

Chicken And Yellow Rice (Arroz Con Pollo)

Damn, Spicy! @ www.damnspicy.com

Deliciously buttery, colorful, and packed with flavor ⏤ this Chicken And Yellow Rice recipe from Ecuador truly has it all: fluffy tinted rice, tender chicken, sauteed onions, peppers, garlic, carrots, peas, cumin, oregano, raisins (optional) and butter for some extra flavor and creaminess! I mean... it's called Arroz De Fiesta (Party Rice) for a reason... right?!

4.86 from 14 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 18 mins

Total Time 38 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Ecuadorian

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup (220 g) long rice (washed until the water runs clear)
• 1 and 3/4 cups (440 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tsp achiote oil (or 1 tsp vegetable oil and a pinch of saffron powder)
• 1 lb (453 g) skinless chicken breast
• 1 tbsp achiote oil (or 1 tbsp vegetable oil and a pinch of saffron powder)
• 1 tbsp garlic paste (or 2-3 garlic cloves, pressed)
• 1/2 medium red onion (thinly sliced)
• 2-3 peppers - a mix of red and yellow bell peppers and serrano (finely chopped)
• 1 medium carrot (cut into fine strips)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Fresh cilantro (chopped, to taste)
• Fresh parsley (optional, chopped, to taste)
• 1/2 cup (70 g) dried raisins (softened in 1 cup or 250 ml of boiling hot water)
• 2/4 cups (120 ml) low-sodium chicken broth (divided - 1/4 cup or 62 ml for step 5 and 1/4 cup for step 6)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (optional)
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter (or margarine)

Instructions

 

• Cook the chicken. You can poach the chicken in a pot filled with water or simply cook it in a pan with oil and spices. For poaching: add the chicken to a large pot, season with salt and pepper, cover with water by at least 2 inches then place over medium heat and allow the water to come to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook until fully cooked through (about 12-15 minutes). For sauteing: add 1 tbsp of vegetable oil to a large non-stick skillet over high heat, once the oil is hot, add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook until golden brown on one side (4-5 minutes), flip and cook until golden brown again (another 3-4 minutes).
• Shred the chicken. Once the chicken is ready, transfer it to a plate and shred it using two forks. Set aside.
• Cook the rice. Add the washed rice to a large pot, add the broth and stir. Taste and add more salt if necessary, then add the achiote oil and stir. Place over medium-high heat, cover, and cook until the water has absorbed completely, then reduce the heat to low and steam until the rice is nice and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). While the rice is cooking, I recommend starting to work on the veggies (step 4).
• Saute the veggies. Add the achiote oil to a large pan, once the oil is hot, add the onions and saute until lightly golden but not softened completely. Add in the garlic paste, stir, and saute until the raw smell goes away. If using garlic simply add the garlic and saute until fragrant. Add the peppers, stir, and saute until slightly softened (about 2 minutes). Add the carrots and peas and stir. Season with cumin, oregano, then add in the herbs. Salt, then taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Saute for a few minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the raisins (if using).
• Prepare the raisins. Soften the raisins by submerging them in two cups of hot water, let them sit for a few minutes, then add them to a blender or food processor with 1/2 cup of chicken broth and blend until mostly smooth, a few smaller bits are okay. Set aside.
• Add broth. Add the chicken broth and your prepared raisin juice to the skillet, stir, and saute until the liquid cooks off. If using soy sauce, add it now and stir. You can add the soy sauce now if desired. Turn off the heat.
• Transfer the veggie mixture to the cooked rice and stir to combine. Add the butter and stir again. Serve immediately paired with some maduro (fried ripe plantains) or tostones (fried green plantains) and fried eggs.

Notes

Storing Instructions:  store any leftovers covered or in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days then reheat it until steaming hot and serve. Do not chill and reheat again, only do this once.

Reheating Instructions: add the rice to a pan, add 1-2 tbsp of water and cook covered over medium heat for just 2-3 minutes. Remove the lid, it should be steaming hot. Serve.

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