If you're looking for a Chicken and Yellow Rice (Arroz con Pollo) recipe that has TONS of flavor, you've found it! I come from a large Cuban family and this is our version of yellow rice that is so flavorful and moist!
Ingredients for chicken and yellow rice:
- 4 chicken thighs and 2 chicken breasts
- Adobo seasoning
- 2 links (about 6 inches) of dried chorizo sausage (casing removed and sliced ¼ inch thick)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
- 1 red bell pepper (chopped)
- 2 large garlic cloves (minced)
- 3 cups short or medium grain rice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 3 cups beer (any light unflavored beer will do)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 packets of Sazon Goya seasoning (found in the international section of most grocery stores)
TIP: Tradition Cuban Chicken and Yellow Rice (Arroz con Pollo) is made with a whole fryer chicken cut into pieces. See bottom of post for even more chicken variation ideas!
Before I start anything, I like to chop my onions, red pepper, chorizo, and garlic. That saves me from scrambling around while I'm cooking the yellow rice. Make sure that you remove the thin papery casing from around the chorizo as well. I just make a slice on one side and peel it off.
Season your chicken liberally with the adobo seasoning and a little sprinkle of pepper. If you are using breasts, cut them in half (like pictured) so they cook quicker. If you are using dark meat, just leave it as-is and season.
Add your olive oil to a large pot and heat it on high heat. This is my pot but if you don't want to spend that much HERE are some great less expensive options. Once your oil is hot, add in your chicken pieces and sear both sides until browned (just about 2 minutes on each side). You are not cooking your chicken on the inside. Just sear the outside then remove from the pot and set aside on a plate.
Lower your heat to medium and in the same oil that you cooked your chicken in, add your onion, red pepper, and chorizo slices.
Sauté these on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until they are translucent. Then add in your garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes. The chorizo lets off a lot of oil and will also make things an orange color.
Next comes the rice. I use this short grain Valencia rice because it gives the final result so much more moisture than using long grain. You'll never make yellow rice with long grain again!
So after you've sautéed your veggies and chorizo, add your uncooked rice to the pot. Stir it around and cook for about 2 minutes.
Now here comes the secret to an amazing Chicken and Yellow Rice. It's the beer. Yep beer! The beer will boil and the alcohol will cook out but if you don't want to use the beer, just sub in more chicken stock. I buy one of these giant beers and it's exactly how much I need.
How much liquid does rice need?
However much rice you use, you'll want to use twice as much liquid. We started with 3 cups of rice so we'll use 6 cups of liquid. I use 3 cups of beer and 3 cups of chicken stock.
Add both liquids to your pot of rice.
Also add in 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 packets of your sazon seasoning. It looks like this and comes in a box of a few packets. This is what gives the yellow rice it's color.
Add your chicken back into the pot (including any juices that are on the plate) and bring everything to a full rolling boil for two minutes. Then reduce your stove top to low and cover your pot. I don't like any steam seeping out so I also cover my pot in foil and then again with the lid.
Cook on low while covered for 25 minutes. After that, open your lid and stir in your frozen peas. Cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes. And that's it! I like to serve this Chicken and Yellow Rice (Arroz con Pollo) with cuban bread and butter on the side.
Variations on the chicken:
*I sometimes cook the chicken fully through at the beginning (instead of just searing it) and then remove it from the pan. Make the yellow rice as directed and then shred the cooked chicken and add it back in at the end when I add in the peas. That tends to reduce the dryness if you're using white meat 🙂 Click here to see how I shred all my chicken in less than 25 seconds!
*You can also used marinated grilled chicken (click here to see my amazing chicken marinade). Make the yellow rice as directed, just skipping over the chicken part. While your rice is cooking, Grill your marinated chicken breasts. When your rice is done, serve with slices of your grilled chicken.
*I've also made this with shrimp or pork or a combination of any of those meats! Just comment if you have any questions on how to do so!
Yellow Rice and Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs and 2 chicken breasts
- Adobo seasoning
- 2 inch links of dried chorizo sausage sliced ¼ thick
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 2 cloves large garlic minced
- 3 cups Valencia short grain rice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 3 cups beer any light unflavored beer will do
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 in packets of Sazon Goya seasoning found the ethnic section seasonings
Instructions
- Chop your onions, red bell pepper, and garlic and set aside. Remove casing and slice your chorizo into ¼ slices and set aside as well.
- Season chicken pieces liberally with adobo seasoning and black pepper.
- Heat olive oil on high in large pot. Once hot, add in your chicken pieces and sear on each side. (About 2 minutes per side) Don't worry about cooking through.
- Once seared, remove chicken from pan and set aside on a plate.
- In the same pot and oil, add in your onion, pepper, and and chorizo. Sauté until translucent.
- Add in garlic and sauté for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add your dry rice to the pot and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Pour in your chicken stock, beer, salt, and saxon packets.
- Add your chicken back to the pot including any juices.
- Bring to a full rolling boil for 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and cover pot with foil and then the lid and simmer for 25 minutes.
- After the 25 minutes, add in the peas, cover again and cook for 5 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Notes
See bottom of the blog post for even more chicken variation ideas!
Shelley says
Thanks for posting this to Pinterest... that's where I found it. I love love love chicken and yellow rice... and I only love it from one restaurant. Unfortunately I can't get there anymore. I've had this many times at other restaurants and was terribly disappointed. So I Just made this tonight with a cut up chicken. I was concerned about the beer but I have to say, this is right on the money ... I didn't have dried chorizo sadly (I couldn't locate it) so I used a bit of bacon. It's still excellent! I will definitely make this again!!!! (I'm searching for dried chorizo). Thanks again
Coco and Ash says
I'm SOOOO glad Shelley!! Everyone thinks the beer is an odd addition until they try it 🙂 And if you still can't find the dried chorizo, there's a link in the blog post where you can order some 🙂
Lisa says
I can’t locate the link for the chorizo on your blog can you share?
Coco and Ash says
Chorizos El Miño . 4 Pack 7 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CWL0J8I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_rhL-Fb1HRCKR8
This isn’t the exact one but it’s the closest I can find on amazon. You can show this picture in the grocery store and ask for something similar 🙂
glendys says
First time I made arroz con pollo and it was super easy and delicious. Thanks!
Raul says
Try substituting the beer with sidra El Gaitero and/or Martinelli's sparkling cider. Para chuparse los dedos. The chorizo is an interesting addition. I have never used it in arroz con pollo, but will definitely try it. Not rating it until I try it, but I am sure it's going to be five stars. Thanks for posting!!!
Hill says
How to feed 20 people and keep it warm and moist?
And can I use store bought rotisserie chicken?
Coco and Ash says
I would NOT use rotisserie chicken. Cooking the chicken in the pan is a large part of what adds flavor. As for feeding more people, I would either make 2 pots at the same time, or one large pot. Just adjust the recipe to double or triple. Hope that helps!
Alicia says
Hi! Do you have skin on the chicken? Are the thighs deboned? Can’t wait to try this tonight.
Coco and Ash says
Yes to bones. No to skin for me. But if your chicken has the skin, it’s totally fine. No biggie! Just discard it after cooking
Yvonne deCespedes says
I grew up in Miami in the 60’s with an Ecuadorian father and a mom from Curaçao. We ate a lot of chicken and a lot of rice! My mom made all those Latin dishes including arroz con leche, arroz con pollo, picadillo, boliche, sopa de pollo, etc. I was married to a Cuban for 30 years and have always loved going to Cuban restaurants. I now live in North Carolina and so miss all those Cuban goodies (pastelitos, pan Cubano, pudín de pan. I’m so glad to see this recipe posted. It’s just like my mom used to make...real comfort food for me! I can’t wait to try this recipe tomorrow! I know it’ll be a 5 star recipe. The beer part I’ve never heard of and can’t wait to try it! If you have any other good Cuban recipes, please feel free to share.
Coco and Ash says
Thank you so much!!
Sharon Geibig says
I am so excited to have found your page. I am from south Florida and my first husband, like you, was also 1st generation Cuban American. I love Cuban food and learned to cook it from my former mother-in-law. Although I am originally from South Florida, I moved to a small town in south western Pennsylvania over 25 years ago. I only get to indulge in Cuban food when I go back home to Florida. I stopped cooking all the meals I enjoyed because the seasonings just aren't available here. Recently I have been craving yellow rice and chicken. That's how I came upon your page. Your recipe sounds just like the one I used to make, including the beer!! I ordered everything from Amazon that I can't find locally. I couldn't do that 25 years ago! LOL! I am dying to make this dish again. But I am also excited to make so may others that you have on your page!! Especially Picadillo!!! Oh YUM!!!! Can't wait!!! Thanks again. I'll be back here a LOT!!!
Coco and Ash says
Thank you Sharon! Let me know how it turns out! 😀
Monica says
I just made it and it was amazing!!! The only issue is trying to find the Valencia rice. No one has it. I had to order it on Amazon so it definitely isn’t a dinner I can make on the fly, but it was a big hit with the family!!! Thank you!!!
Saily carney says
This was delicious! The only thing I changed was that I boiled my chicken thighs with a packed of sazón added to the water. Once it was done I shredded it and added it to the rice. And added the adobo separately. It was amazing! A total hit with the family. 😍 thank you!
Mareth Collins-Wooley says
Stupid question....are these bone-in cuts you used here, or boneless skinless?
Coco and Ash says
Not stupid! I used boneless chicken breast and bone-in drums. Any mixture will work. The bone-in chicken will be more moist though!
Tiernen says
How do I make this so it will freeze well?
Coco and Ash says
I would make it as directed and freeze in an air-tight container after it has cooled.
ENRIQUE says
I made this dish for my Cuban parents
they absolutely loved it. Can you share
the arroz con camarones recipe as well.
I'm sure they would enjoy that as well.
Thank you so much for this recipe
ENRIQUE says
I made this dish for my Cuban parents and the absolutely loved it .Can you share the arroz con camarones recipe .I'm sure they would enjoy that as
well
Vanessa says
Hi! I can’t find Valencia rice but have jasmine rice. I normally add 1.5 cups of water for every cup of rice…there is a lot of liquid already in the recipe. How do I adjust for the use of jasmine rice instead??
Coco and Ash says
I can’t say for certain because I’ve never made it with jasmine rice. But i would imagine you can start with adjusting the liquid to 1.5 cups per cup of rice. If it’s a little dry at the end, you can add a little more liquid and let it sit covered for a few more minutes. I hope that helps! Good luck!
Jeri says
I had no idea what to expect, but my home smells wonderful. I made it exactly as you said and loved every mouthful! Thank you!
Elaine Martell says
love this recipe but ads kept popping up and covering my instructions. Had to shut down my ipad several times and ended up winging it. So frustrating
Coco and Ash says
Hi Elaine, there’s a “print recipe” button that opens a window with no ads. Hope that helps!
Vicki Richardson says
We make this dish very often and I can honestly say it tastes just like the Cubans did in Miami. I’ve cooked almost all of her recipes and none have ever failed me. Our children and grandchildren ask me to make that Cuban dish Nana. I tell them stories of my life in Miami and how delicious the food was. You guys have out done yourselves. Thank you for sharing with us. Merry Christmas.
Coco and Ash says
Aww thank you Vicki! I’m so glad you all enjoy it 🙂