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I love HISPANIC and LATIN AMERICAN flavors. This Puerto Rican Pollo Recipe is more popularly known in its native Country as Arroz Con Pollo. This recipe has super flavors derived from three different sources. First, there is a vegetable mix with fresh herbs, garlic and some spicy peppers. The second flavor is created from a sauce/liquid developed from annatto seeds. The final saltiness in this recipe comes from the addition of olives. I am not a big olive fan by themselves but when included in this dish, they add such a unique tang to the overall flavor.
Puerto Rican Pollo Recipe
I really like working with and obviously the flavor of ANNATTO. It is a seed that comes from the achiote tree. I have both the seeds and the powder and use the powder often in my Mexican dishes It imparts a great flavor and red color to dishes. I recently made a Mexican Chicken Parmesan using the achiote powder that was delicious. Two summers ago I made an Achiote Mexican Burger that truly highlighted this wonderful ingredient.
Arroz Con Pollo is a chicken and rice dish that is probably considered the National dish of Puerto Rico. It is true comfort food. It is a dish you can imagine on many stovetops in Puerto Rico on a weekend that families gather around for. What many of us should like in addition to the great flavors is that it is a one pot meal. Everything is cooked in sequence in a Dutch oven. In this way, the rice absorbs all the flavors that have been created from the vegetables and the chicken.
Annatto seeds, then steeping and finally straining.
Annatto Seeds
Annatto Seeds Steeping
Straining Sauce
The spices, then added to pan, and the chicken marinating.
Spices
Spices in Pan
Chicken added to Pan
The chicken after baking.
Chicken Baked
The onions and peppers, the veggie mix, and then, the two combined.
Peppers and Onions
Veggie Mix
Onions and Peppers added to Veggie Mix
Veggie mix in Dutch oven, rice added and mixed in.
Veggie Mix in Dutch Oven
Rice Added In
Rice Mixed
Tomatoes added, and then, the stock, and finally the chicken added back in.
Tomatoes Added
Stock Added
Chicken Added Back In
Peas Added
The final Puerto Rican Pollo recipe – arroz con pollo.
Puerto Rican Pollo Recipe
- 1/4 cup Achiote Oil, recipe follows
- 8 - 10 chicken thighs
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups chipotle BBQ sauce.
- Fine sea or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pimiento-stuffed olives
- 8 ounces finely chopped roasted red peppers
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons seasoned salt
- 2 tablespoons adobo seasoning
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- Pinch ground cloves
- 4 cups long-grain rice
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 large bottled roasted red peppers, cut into 1/4-inch strips (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons achiote (annatto) seeds
- 2 medium Spanish or yellow onions , cut into large chunks
- 1 red and green bell pepper rough chop
- 3 jalapenos diced
- 8 cloves garlic, diced
- 1 large bunch cilantro, washed
- 3 to 4 ripe plum tomatoes (about 1 pound), cored and cut into chunks
- 8 ounces frozen peas
- Fill a pot with about 2 cups of water and add the annatto seeds.Bring to a low boil and let stand for an hour.
- Strain and reserve in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Reserve the seeds.
- Add the stock to a broiling pan with the spices and chipotle BBQ sauce.
- Also add in the saved annatto seeds.
- Marinade for 3 - 6 hours and overnight if you have time.
- Remove the chicken and cook in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes.
- Let sit until ready to return to Dutch oven.
- In a Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid, heat the Achiote Oil over medium-high heat until the oil is simmering.
- Add the 2 tablespoons of the annatto oil and then add the Sofrito.
- Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
- Add the cumin and cloves.
- Stir in the rice until coated.
- Add the tomatoes and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the stock and mix the rice.
- Return the chicken to the pan.
- Cover the pan and cook until the liquid is absorbed, the chicken is cooked through, and the rice is tender but firm, about 20 minutes.
- Chop the onion and Cubanelle or Italian peppers in the work bowl of a food processor until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, add the remaining ingredients 1 at a time and process until smooth. The sofrito will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It also freezes beautifully.
- *Cook's Note: Ajices dulces are little sweet peppers that look similar to the fiery hot Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, only smaller. They have a wonderful fresh herbal flavor, almost like cilantro, but only a tiny bit of heat. Culantro is an herb with broad, round-tipped leaves. Its flavor is similar to cilantro, but much more intense. Both ajices dulces and culantro are available in Latin markets. If you cannot find them, simply increase the amount of cilantro to 1 1/2 bunches.
- Test your rice for doneness.
- The chipotle BBQ sauce is made from scratch. But use any store bought sauce.
What a gorgeous dish! The Mexican parm also looks gorgeous.
Thx Jeff. It was good too.
Looks great!
Thx Florian.
Nicely done, looks amazing!!
Thx Tara.
This looks wonderful! I went to Puerto Rico last year and LOVED the food including Arroz con Pollo – I need to make this!
How cool. I here it is beautiful. Did you have a good time?
I am a crazy olive fan so this chicken sounds amazing! I love all the spicy flavors. Yum!
I am not an olive fan but in this dish, I absolutely loved the flavor it added. Maybe I will grow to like olives.
I love all the layering of flavors in this kind of cuisine! It takes a while to produce but so worth the effort as shown in your photo of the final dish.
You are so right. Totatlly worth the effort.
Talk about layer upon layer of flavor! This looks like an incredible recipe Peter and I cannot wait to try it out.
Thx so much Angela.
We have Mexican food whenever our third roommate isn’t here and I’m definitely adding this to our list for the next time she’s out of the house!
That is funny. Your 3rd roommate does not know what she is missing.
This looks absolutely delicious! So flavorful!
Thank you very much Priya.
I absolutely love olives and I always want to try new dishes! I’m especially in love with Latin style foods – this one looks really delicious!
You love olives and you love Latin style foods. Then, you will have to make this recipe.