Arroz con Pollo Recipe

A plate of Cuban arroz con pollo with golden yellow rice, green peas, and a piece of chicken on top.

This Cuban Arroz con Pollo is a one-pot chicken and yellow rice dish simmered in a flavorful broth—hearty, comforting, and perfect for family dinners.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Cuban

Keyword arroz con pollo, chicken and yellow rice, chicken recipes, cuban chicken recipes, cuban food

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1 10

Total Time 1 30

Servings

Calories 635kcal

Author Elizabeth Rodriguez

Ingredients

8 pieces Dark Meat Chicken bone-in and skin-on (about 2½–3 pounds)
2½ teaspoons Salt divided (1 teaspoon to season the chicken, 1½ teaspoon for the rice) plus extra at the end if needed.
4 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion finely diced
3–4 Garlic Cloves minced
½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
½ teaspoon Paprika
¼ teaspoon Turmeric
¼ teaspoon Cumin
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
¼ cup White Wine
2 cups Long Grain White Rice
4 cups Chicken Broth
1 cup Water
1 Bay Leaf
12 ounces Light Beer room temperature
Canned Sweet Peas drained and rinsed, for garnish (optional)
Canned Pimentos drained and rinsed, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the Chicken

Trim excess fat from the chicken pieces and season with 1 teaspoon of salt.

Brown the Chicken

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy sauté pan or pot over medium heat.
When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the chicken, skin-side down. Cook for 5 minutes, then turn and cook for another 5 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat. Transfer the chicken to a plate and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.

Make the Sofrito

Do not wash the pot. Return it to medium heat and add the onions. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the garlic, tomato paste, 1½ teaspoons salt, oregano, paprika, turmeric, cumin, and black pepper. Stir well to combine and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Carefully add the white wine to deglaze the pot while gently scraping any bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook for 1 minute, or until most of the wine has evaporated.

Make the Arroz con Pollo

Add the rice, chicken broth, water, and bay leaf to the pot. Stir well to combine.
Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the liquid to a boil, stirring frequently.
Return the chicken to the pot, arranging it so it is not stacked.
Once boiling again, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
The rice should now be visible on the surface and should no longer sink to the bottom when stirred.
Stir everything well, lower the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Ensure the chicken reaches at least 165°F. Taste the rice and add more salt if needed. Stir well.

Add the Beer

Raise the heat to medium-low and slowly add the beer while stirring. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and cook for another 10–15 minutes.
Taste the rice—if it’s still not fully cooked, cover and let it steam over low heat for an additional 15 minutes or until done.

Finish and Serve

Garnish with sweet peas and pimentos, if desired. Serve warm.

Notes

Use a large, heavy sauté pan or pot. I used an 11-inch sauté pan, but a 7-quart Dutch oven works well too.
If the chicken skin comes off while cooking, that’s fine—it adds flavor to the rice.
If you’re sensitive to salt, use reduced-sodium broth and/or reduce the amount added to the chicken and rice. Adjust at the end if needed.
Stir the rice occasionally to prevent sticking, but avoid over-stirring to maintain the texture.
Beer is a traditional ingredient that enhances flavor and texture. If omitting, replace it with a mix of broth and water.

Nutrition