My mom’s classic Puerto Rican Arroz con Pollo — a savory one-pot meal of rice, vegetables, and seasoned chicken. This authentic Puerto Rican recipe is written with clear, easy-to-follow instructions and captures traditional island flavors. Read on for tips to season the dish and how to achieve a perfectly crispy pegao layer of rice on the bottom of the pot.
This recipe uses a dry spice rub on the chicken that is seared to develop flavor and color, then finished by slow cooking with rice, vegetables, and broth so the chicken stays juicy and infuses the rice. The sear helps form a savory crust while the oven finish ensures even cooking.
Keep reading for specific tips on creating a lovely pegao—crispy, browned rice at the bottom of the pot—which many Puerto Ricans prize for its texture and flavor.
The OG of Puerto Rican Cuisine
Arroz con Pollo in the Puerto Rican style is a comforting classic: tender chicken, seasoned rice, olives, and vegetables simmered together until everything melds into a rich, aromatic dish. Cooking the rice in the same pot as the chicken and vegetables concentrates flavor and yields a satisfying, home-cooked meal.
Like many Puerto Rican recipes, each family has its own version. This one reflects my mom’s approach, built to highlight layered seasoning and simple technique.
There’s no single “right” way to make Arroz con Pollo — different techniques work for different cooks. The important elements are good seasoning, properly cooked rice, and juicy chicken.
That said, my mom’s version is reliably delicious.
Ingredients
How to Make Arroz con Pollo
Tips from my Boriqua Mom
My mom shared a few reliable tips for consistently tasty Arroz con Pollo:
- Season in layers. Start with a dry rub for the chicken and continue building flavor as you sauté the sofrito, add tomato sauce, and season the rice. Layering seasoning produces depth of flavor.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot. A quality dutch oven or caldero helps the rice cook evenly and absorb liquid without hot spots, yielding better texture.
Pegao (crispy rice)
Pegao is the browned, crispy rice layer that forms at the bottom of the pot and adds a welcome contrast in texture. Here are practical tips to help you get a good pegao without burning the rice:
- Add an extra tablespoon of oil while toasting the rice with the veggies to help the grains crisp and prevent sticking.
- Once the rice is cooked, return the covered pot to the stovetop over medium heat for 5–10 minutes to encourage browning. Monitor closely to avoid burning.
- Be patient — achieving a perfect pegao can take practice, even for experienced cooks.
More Puerto Rican Rice Dishes
Puerto Rican Rice & Beans with Sofrito (Arroz con Gandules)
Puerto Rican Arroz con Camarones (Rice with Shrimp)
30 Minute Arroz con Salchichas (Yellow Rice with Sausage)
Arroz con Dulce (Coconut Rice Pudding)
Buen Provecho,
Authentic Puerto Rican Arroz Con Pollo
4.9 from 19 reviews
- Author: Salima Benkhalti
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings
- Category: Dinner, Entree, Lunch, Main Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Puerto Rican
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
My mom’s classic Puerto Rican Arroz con Pollo — a flavorful one-pot dish of rice, veggies, and seasoned chicken. This authentic recipe offers straightforward steps and traditional Puerto Rican flavor, plus tips for crafting crisp pegao rice at the bottom of the pot.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 4–6 pieces of chicken (thighs, drumsticks, or a mix)
- 2 tsp sazon seasoning
- 2 tsp adobo seasoning
For the Rice:
- 2 tbsp achiote (annatto) oil or olive oil
- 1/4 cup sofrito (or 4 cloves garlic + 1/4 cup minced cilantro)
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 2 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup green olives stuffed with pimento, halved
- 2 cups short or medium-grain white rice
- 3 1/2–4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Prep the chicken. Pat pieces dry. Mix the sazon and adobo into the chicken and coat evenly.
- Brown the chicken and preheat the oven. Heat oil in a caldero or heavy pot over medium. Brown chicken skin-side down first, turning to color all sides. Remove and set aside. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Cook the vegetables. Sauté sofrito and onion in the same pot until translucent. Add bell pepper, salt, and pepper; cook until fragrant.
- Add tomato sauce, olives, and rice. Stir well so the rice is coated in the sauce and aromatics.
- Add broth and bake. Pour in 3 1/2 cups of chicken broth and bring briefly to a boil. Arrange the browned chicken over the rice, cover, and transfer to the oven. Bake about 30 minutes, until chicken reaches 165°F internally.
- Finish the rice. Check near the end of cooking. If the rice looks dry, add the remaining 1/2 cup broth, cover, and cook 5 more minutes. Once done, remove chicken and fold peas into the rice.
- Optional — make pegao. For crispy bottom rice, drizzle about a tablespoon of oil around the pot edge and place the covered pot on medium heat for 5–10 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
- Serve. Squeeze lime over the dish, sprinkle chopped cilantro, and serve warm.
Equipment
Heavy Dutch oven or caldero (helps rice cook evenly)
Measuring cups and spoons