Arroz con Pollo (Chicken with Rice)
Arroz con Pollo is a classic Latin American dish, with each country and each family having its own unique recipe. For mine, I like to use whole pieces of chicken (legs or thighs) that I season with chile powder, cumin, and oregano before adding the rice. This flavorful dish is filling all on its own, but it also goes well with frijoles charros (cowboy beans). Just dont forget the warm corn or flour tortillas.
Arroz con Pollo is a classic Latin American dish, with each country and each family having its own unique recipe. For mine, I like to use whole pieces of chicken (legs or thighs) that I season with chile powder, cumin, and oregano before adding the rice. This flavorful dish is filling all on its own, but it also goes well with frijoles charros (cowboy beans). Just dont forget the warm corn or flour tortillas.
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves (minced)
- 1 tbsp california chile powder
- 1 tsp crushed dried mexican oregano
- 1 tsp coarse salt (plus more for seasoning)
- 6 boneless chicken thighs
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil (divided)
- 1 cup long-grain or jasmine rice
- 1/2 medium white onion (finely chopped)
- 4 roma tomatoes (finely chopped)
- 8 oz tomato sauce 1 can
- 4 cilantro sprigs
- pico de gallo verde for garnish (optional)
- pimiento-stuffed olives (sliced for garnish (optional))
- pimiento-stuffed olives (sliced for garnish (optional))
- Carbohydrate 0.440435104166667 g
- Cholesterol 232.293333333333 mg
- Fat 45.2097894791667 g
- Fiber 0.106403124103944 g
- Protein 54.3814804166667 g
- Saturated Fat 12.9418037743056 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (339g)
- Sodium 215.278465277778 mg
- Sugar 0.334031980062723 g
- Trans Fat 3.54331499305555 g
- Calories 640 calories
Step-by-step
- In a small bowl, combine the chile powder, cumin, oregano,salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Sprinkle thespice mixture over the chicken thighs.
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté and adjust to More or high.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in the pot, add the chicken thighs, and fry for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a heat-proof plate.
- In the Instant Pot, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Sauté the rice until light golden brown. Add the onion and garlic; sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or just until the onion is translucent. Stir in the tomatoes.
- Pour in the chicken broth and tomato sauce; season lightly with salt. Return the chicken to the Instant Pot. Top withthe cilantro.
- Lock the lid into place and set the steam release valve to sealed. Select Manual or PRESSURE COOK and set the timer for 12 minutes on high.
- When cooking is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally. Unlock and remove the lid.
- Discard the cilantro. Serve immediately, garnished with Pico de Gallo Verde and pimiento-stuffed olive slices (if using).
Boneless chicken thighs demand a searing temperature that renders surface fat quickly without overcooking the interior muscle fibers. When modifying this formula, bone-in cuts require extending the initial sauté phase by four minutes to ensure proper heat transfer. Swapping long-grain rice for short-grain varieties alters starch release, producing a stickier end texture because amylopectin levels differ significantly between grain types. Rinsing any chosen rice grain removes excess surface starch and prevents clumping during pressure cooking.
Ground spices like California chile powder and Mexican oregano can be replaced with whole dried chiles and fresh herbs if you adjust quantities upward by fifty percent to compensate for lower surface area extraction. Dried oregano possesses a more concentrated, minty pungency than fresh leaves due to the dehydration process concentrating essential oils. When utilizing fresh garlic cloves instead of garlic powder, mince them finely and introduce them during the final minute of the onion sauté to prevent acrid bitterness from scorching.
Roma tomatoes supply a dense flesh with minimal internal water content, making them superior to standard globe tomatoes for maintaining precise liquid ratios in sealed vessels. Canned tomato sauce acts as both a flavoring agent and an acid regulator, helping tenderize the poultry proteins while the starches hydrate. Substituting fresh pureed tomatoes requires reducing the added chicken broth by two ounces to account for extra moisture release.
Natural pressure release is mandatory for achieving tender meat and evenly hydrated grains without scorching the bottom of the cooking vessel. Forcing quick release causes residual liquid within the rice grains to boil violently, blowing out the starches and resulting in an unevenly cooked core. Allowing ten minutes of undisturbed rest post-cooking finalizes the starch gelatinization process successfully.
