Arroz con Pollo

All Recipes, Seasonal Recipes

Serves: 6 — 8 people

Preparation: 10 minutes

Cooking Time:  20 mins

 

Ingredients:
  • 4 Cups white rice
  • 32 oz chicken stock /broth (optional)
  • 1 tsp achiote/annato paste (optional)
  • 1 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 TB oil
  • 1 rotisserie chicken, deboned and shredded
  • 1 TB butter
  • 1 can of mixed vegetables, drained
  • handful cilantro
  • 1 red pepper, cored, seeded and chopped finely
  • 1 stalk of celery chopped finely (optional)
  • 1 small white or yellow onion finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, pressed
  • 3 TB ketchup
  • 3 TB soy sauce
  • 3 TB Salsa Lizano*

 

aroz con pollo
Method:
  1. You will prepare the rice the traditional Costa Rican way, lightly coating the bottom of the rice cooker with oil. Measure out the rice and pour it over the oil. Next add the salt and achiote. Stir the rice and seasonings to fully coat.
  2. Measure out equal parts chicken stock to rice (4 cups) and add to the dry rice and stir again. The chicken stock can be replaced by water in this recipe, but you would want to add a bit more salt, and know that the rice won’t have the same flavour. Cook the rice.
  3. While the rice is cooking, you will begin to make your sofrito, which is the flavour base for the chicken. In a large skillet, melt the butter on medium heat. Once melted, add the cilantro, red pepper, onion and garlic and cook until soft and translucent. This is your sofrito. When the arroz con pollo dish is finished, these ingredients should be imperceptible to the eye, so it is important to chop everything VERY finely.
  4. Next add the chicken and cilantro to the pan, and stir until the cilantro has wilted and the chicken is coated in the sofrito. By this time, the rice should be cooked. Add all of the rice to the skillet and begin to mix everything together.
  5. Add your ketchup, soy sauce, and Salsa Lizano to the arroz con pollo. I add them one at a time in a circle on the pan, stirring after each addition until the sauces are evenly mixed in. I do find that using the rice paddle from the cooker is the best way to do this. After the sauces have been added, mix in the mixed vegetables. Taste everything to make sure that the arroz con pollo has the right amount to salt. You can adjust the flavour by adding salt, the sauces, or a little water if the flavour is too strong