Arroz Mixto Colombiano (Colombian-Style Seafood, Chicken and Pork Rice)

It’s no secret that I love rice, so much so that I cook and eat rice everyday and can’t even begin to imagine serving a meal without a side of Arroz. But hey, I’m a Latina, what can I say?

In Colombia and Latin America, we eat rice at almost every meal, in soups, salads, warm savory dishes and in desserts. There are endless recipes using this grain. Growing up in Colombia, lunch and dinner always started with opening up the lid of the rice cooker to reveal a steaming pot of fresh white rice. Rice was always the center of the meal, and it’s hard to put into words the comfort I find in a rice dish.

Now, let’s talk about the rice recipe I am sharing with you today, Colombian-Style Seafood, Chicken and Pork Rice. This is a delicious and popular dish around Colombia and some people consider it the Colombian version of Spanish Mixed Paella. A difference between Arroz Mixto and Paella Mixta is the type of rice used. Arroz Mixto uses long grain rice, whereas Paella uses short grain rice. There are a couple of other differences as well. The Paella color comes from saffron and the Arroz Mixto color comes from achiote. Cilantro and cumin will never be seen in Paella, but we add those popular Latin ingredients to Arroz Mixto

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This time I used shrimp, clams, pork, ham, chorizo and chicken for my rice, but feel free to use your favorite kind of seafood and meat mixture for your recipe. Also, I like to serve this Colombian-Style Seafood, Chicken and Pork Rice with avocado, lime wedges, tomato slices and hot sauce (Ají Picante) on the side. This is a wonderful one pot meal with fantastic flavors and textures, perfect to feed a crowd. I hope you enjoy making and eating my Arroz Mixto Colombiano as much as I do. Buen provecho!

Ingredients

Chicken, Pork and Stock

• 2 whole chicken breast, bone in and skin removed
• 1 pound lean pork cut into pieces
• 2 scallions
• 1 white onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
• Salt and Pepper

Rice

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain rice
• 2 cups chicken stock
• Salt to taste

Seafood and Meat Mixture

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 cup finely chopped white onion
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon achiote powder
• 3 Colombian chorizos, cooked and sliced
• 2 cups of diced ham
• 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds of your favorite seafood: (shrimp, fish, calamari, scallops, mussels, squid and/or clams)
• 1/2 cup frozen diced carrots
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. lace the chicken breast, pork, 6 cups water and the remaining ingredients for the stock in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the chicken rest in the pot for about 15 minutes covered. Let it cool, shred the chicken and pork, and set aside.
2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a saucepan, add the rice, stir until well coated and cook for about one minute stirring often. Add the broth and salt, bring to a boil until the broth is evaporated, reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes or until the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and set a side.
3. Heat the remaining oil over medium heat in a large sauce pan, add the onions, red bell pepper, green pepper and garlic, stir often and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes.
4. Add the tomato paste, cumin, achiote powder, chorizo, ham, salt, pepper and half of the fresh cilantro. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the raw seafood, stir and cook for about 3 minutes.
5. Add the cooked shredded chicken, pork, rice, peas and carrots, mix well and cook until the seafood is cooked, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the remaining fresh cilantro, fresh parsley and serve.