Arroz con Pollo (Mexican Chicken and Rice)
A comforting one-pan meal of tender chicken, fluffy rice, and vegetables simmered together with the bold flavors of Mexican rice. This Arroz con Pollo is cozy, hearty, and perfect for family dinners.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks bone-in, skin-on (about 6 pieces)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ancho or cayenne chili powder
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
- 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 14 ounces fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 jalapeño optional
- ½ cup peas canned or frozen (optional)
- Fresh cilantro chopped, for serving
Instructions
- Pat chicken dry and season with salt, pepper, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken until golden, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
- In the same skillet, sauté onion, bell pepper, and garlic until softened, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in rice and toast until lightly golden, about 3 minutes.
- Add tomato sauce, chicken broth, and fire-roasted tomatoes, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a boil.
- Nestle chicken back into the skillet. Add jalapeño if using. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is cooked through and rice is tender, 25–30 minutes.
- Remove from heat, cover, and let rest 10 minutes. Stir in peas if using.
- Adjust seasoning, garnish with cilantro, and serve.
Video
Notes
- Rice: Use long-grain rice for the best fluffy texture. Short-grain or medium-grain rice will turn out stickier.
- Chicken: Bone-in, skin-on chicken adds the most flavor, but you can substitute skinless chicken thighs or breasts if preferred. Adjust cooking time slightly if using boneless cuts.
- Peas: If adding peas, stir them in at the very end while the dish rests to keep their color bright and texture tender.
- Spice level: Add the jalapeño whole for mild flavor, or slice it for extra heat.
- Make-ahead: This dish reheats well — just add a splash of broth when reheating to keep the rice from drying out.
- Bouillon substitute: If you don’t have chicken broth on hand, dissolve 1 Knorr bouillon cube in 1 cup of hot water (or use 1 tablespoon granulated bouillon) to make a quick broth substitute.
Nutrition
Calories: 598kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 963mg | Potassium: 504mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1101IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 2mg