Chef Eliezer Rodriquez of Kokí Latin Cuisine shares his recipe for arroz con pollo (chicken and rice), a beloved comfort dish made throughout Latin America. It’s one of those simple, customizable meals that always seems to come out just right. Chef Eli makes a rich, savory Puerto Rican-style arroz con pollo using aromatic sofrito and sazón seasoning.
Chef Eli grew up in Caguas, Puerto Rico and has worked in professional kitchens for nearly two decades. These days, he’s a traveling personal chef in central Pennsylvania, offering bespoke Latin cuisine to people from all walks of life. Chef Eli is also an advocate for food security and frequently partners with non-profits and organizations to offer cooking education and workshops for underprivileged kids, families and seniors throughout the Commonwealth.
Chef Eli
For special events and personal chef services as well as collaboration to promote food security through culinary education, find Kokí Latin Cuisine on Facebook and Instagram and reach out!
Arroz Con Pollo
| Yield |
|---|
| Serves 5 |
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Total Time |
|---|---|---|
| 20 min | 50 min | 70 min |
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola or olive oil
- 2 cups of jasmine rice
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 pound of boneless/skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ red bell pepper, diced
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons sofrito
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ bunch of cilantro (stems optional), chopped
- sazón, to taste
- salt, to taste
Method
- Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and marinate with salt, pepper & paprika for at least 10 minutes.
- Heat up a caldero (rice pot with lid) at medium high heat, add the extra virgin olive oil or canola oil, add the marinated chicken, and sear the chicken for about 7 minutes.
- When the chicken is halfway cooked, add the bell peppers and onions and cook them until they’re translucent.
- Next, add the sofrito, garlic & cilantro stems, chicken broth and sazón & salt to taste.
- Mix everything together for a few seconds until all ingredients are incorporated and then cover the pot and bring it to a boil.
- Once the broth is boiling, add the rice, mix again, cover with the lid and lower the heat to medium until most of the liquid evaporates, which takes a few minutes depending on the stove.
- When the rice has very little liquid, change the heat to low, put the lid again and let it cook for 25-30 mins. Stir occasionally, about one or two times.
- When the rice is fully cooked (notice the grains don’t look white and if you taste a little bit, you will find it turned soft), turn off the heat and serve.
- Photo 1: Slice of Lime Photography
- Photo of Chef Eli cooking: Kokí Latin Cuisine
- Arroz con pollo photo: 123rf
