Arroz con pollo made with juicy chicken thighs cooked in flavorful Mexican rice is the ultimate one-pot meal! This beloved Latin-American dish is perfect for weeknight dinners and is easy and comforting.
This Mexican arroz con pollo is one of my favorite meals to make for my family. It’s not something I grew up eating often as my mom preferred to make her chicken and rice separately, but as soon as I learned how to cook, I made this dish nonstop.
Puerto Rican, Cuban, and other Latin American flavor variations of arroz con pollo are what usually show up when you search for arroz con pollo, so I knew I had to put my Mexican spin on it.
Here’s why I love this recipe:
- Truly so good! Arroz con pollo stands out for its simplicity and depth of flavor. The combination of chicken and rice cooked together allows the ingredients to meld beautifully, resulting in a dish that is both hearty and delicious.
- Minimal clean-up: One-pot meals are the best because everything cooks in one pot, so there is no pile of dishes to clean up after dinner.
- Flexible recipe: While there are some traditional elements to arroz con pollo, you can easily customize it to suit you and your family based on what you have on hand. See the Recipe Tips section for some easy variations.
What Is Arroz con Pollo?
Arroz con pollo, which translates to “rice with chicken,” is a popular Latin-American dish where chicken is cooked in rice, onions, garlic, and a blend of spices. Traditionally, the chicken is seared first to develop a rich flavor, then simmered with the rice until everything is perfectly tender.
It’s a dish made in many Hispanic and Latin-American countries, including Spain, Puerto Rico, and Columbia. Each country has its own variation, and I’ve developed this recipe with my Mexican roots in mind, using spices and herbs I use often in my Mexican cooking, as well as flavoring the rice just like my Mexican rice.
Arroz con Pollo Ingredients
- Chicken thighs: I used bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. The bone adds great flavor when it cooks together with the rice, and the seared skin adds a nice little crunch. You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs, drumsticks, or chicken breasts.
- Seasonings: To season the chicken, I used olive oil, white wine vinegar, orange juice, lime juice, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, coriander, salt, oregano, and cumin. This really elevates the flavor of the chicken.
- Rice: I used long-grain white rice that’s then toasted in oil (just like your typical Mexican rice) for an extra layer of nutty flavor. See my Recipe Tips sections for alternatives and instructions on how to use other grains.
- Onion, poblano, cilantro, garlic: I used my own interpretation of sofrito, which is usually bell pepper, onion, and cilantro, and swapped the bell pepper for poblanos for a more Mexican-inspired flavor.
- Chicken broth and tomato paste: This combination makes the red tomato broth for cooking the rice so it’s just like my Mexican rice. You can use water instead of chicken broth, but I find it has more flavor this way.
- Peas: These are fluffed into the rice at the end. You could also use a frozen vegetable mix as well.
How to Make Arroz con Pollo
Season the chicken by tossing it with olive oil, white wine vinegar, lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, ground coriander, salt, oregano, and cumin. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to help the chicken soak in all those flavors.
Brown the chicken thighs by heating a large sauté pan with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken thighs to the pan skin-side down and cook for about 4-6 minutes per side, until the skin is crispy and golden.
The chicken will not be fully cooked, but that’s okay; it will finish cooking with the rice. Transfer the browned chicken thighs onto a plate, and repeat this process with the remaining chicken thighs.
Sauté the onions and poblano peppers in the same pot using the oil from the seared chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the poblano peppers are tender.
Add garlic, cilantro, chili powder, and cumin, stir and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
Add the rice and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the rice is toasted and light brown in color, stirring occasionally.
Add the chicken broth, tomato paste, and salt. Stir everything together until the tomato paste is fully incorporated into the broth mixture.
Add the browned chicken thighs and increase the heat to high until it reaches a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer the arroz con pollo for 20-25 minutes, until the rice is fully cooked and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
Take the pot off the heat, uncover it, and transfer the chicken onto a plate. Fluff the rice with a fork and add frozen peas. The rice will be hot enough to thaw the peas out completely.
Serve immediately with a garnish of chopped cilantro and lime wedges.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t have chicken thighs? I find that bone-in chicken thighs have the most flavor, but you can also swap it out for boneless skinless chicken thighs, drumsticks, or chicken breasts.
- Adjust the spice level. Add some heat by using jalapeños instead of poblano peppers, or make it extra mild by using bell peppers instead.
- Not a fan of cilantro? Feel free to omit it completely.
Recipe Variations
Arroz con Pollo can easily be adjusted to your liking. Here are a few suggestions:
- Chicken: You can use any cut of chicken that you like including boneless skinless chicken thighs, drumsticks, or chicken breasts.
- Rice: I recommend using long-grain white rice, but you can use cauliflower rice or even quinoa. You can use the same grain-to-liquid ratios as this recipe.
- Peppers: You can adjust the spice and flavor by swapping the peppers based on your preference. To make this recipe even more mild, use bell peppers. To add spice, use jalapeños or even serrano.
How to Serve Arroz con Pollo
Arroz con pollo is a one-pot meal that’s a main dish and side dish all in one, so no need to make extra sides if you don’t want!
But if you want something a little extra, you could serve it alongside some corn tortillas or flour tortillas, a quick salad like my avocado salad, or just with a really great drink like horchata or agua de pepino!
Storing and Reheating
Storing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Reheat in a covered skillet over medium heat, adding a splash of broth or water to prevent the rice from drying out. You could also reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
If you have an air fryer, you could reheat the chicken in the air fryer for 5 minutes at 390℉ for extra crispy skin!
Arroz con Pollo
Arroz con pollo made with juicy chicken thighs cooked in flavorful Mexican rice is the ultimate one-pot meal!
Instructions
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In a large mixing bowl or plastic storage bag, add the chicken, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, white wine vinegar, lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, ground coriander, salt, oregano, and cumin. Toss everything together until the chicken is completely coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, up to 8 hours.
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Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs to the pan skin-side down and cook for 4-6 minutes per side until the skin is crispy and lightly browned. Transfer it to a large plate and set aside,
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In the same pan using the oil that’s already in there, add the onion and poblano pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until the onions have softened and are translucent.
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Stir in the garlic, chopped cilantro, cumin, and chili powder. Cook for 30 seconds until the garlic and spices are fragrant.
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Add the rice and cook for 3-4 minutes until the rice begins to brown. If you used skin-on chicken thighs, you should have enough oil in the pan. If you used skinless chicken, you may need to add 2-3 teaspoons of olive oil to toast the rice.
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Add the chicken broth, tomato paste, and salt. Stir together to combine until the tomato paste has fully dissolved.
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Add the browned chicken thighs to the pan skin-side up and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes until the rice is fully cooked through and the chicken registers an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
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Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the cooked chicken pieces to a clean plate. Add the peas to the rice and fluff them in using a fork. The rice will be hot enough to heat the peas.
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Serve the arroz con pollo immediately with a garnish of chopped cilantro and lime wedges.
Notes
- Chicken: Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs have the most flavor, but you can also swap it out for boneless skinless chicken thighs, drumsticks, or chicken breasts.
- Spice level: This dish is not spicy. You can add some heat if you’d like by using jalapeños instead of poblano peppers, or make it extra mild by using bell peppers instead.
- Cilantro: I like the addition of cilantro for some freshness, but if you’re not a fan, you can omit it completely.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 617kcal (31%), Carbohydrates: 49g (16%), Protein: 31g (62%), Fat: 32g (49%), Saturated Fat: 8g (40%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 16g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 142mg (47%), Sodium: 1247mg (52%), Potassium: 658mg (19%), Fiber: 4g (16%), Sugar: 4g (4%), Vitamin A: 1231IU (25%), Vitamin C: 26mg (32%), Calcium: 63mg (6%), Iron: 3mg (17%)
This post was originally published in April 2020 and has been updated with new photos, more tips and tricks, and a better overall recipe.
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.