This Arroz con Pollo recipe is my Colombian version. It is a hearty one pot meal perfect for lunch or dinner. Every country and family in Latin America has its own classic rice with chicken variation.
This Colombian-Style Arroz con Pollo was one of my favorite dishes growing up. My mom would make it at least once a week and everyone in my family loved it.
What is Arroz con Pollo?
It literally translates to "Rice with Chicken" and it's one of the most popular dishes in Latin America. Every country has its own variation and cooking method, but they all have rice, chicken, vegetables and spices.
Some recipes use bone in chicken pieces, this is my mom’s recipe and it's made with shredded chicken breast. I tried the Cuban and Puerto Rican versions of arroz con pollo and they were also very comforting and delicious.
Storing Rice with Chicken
The best part of cooking this rice dish are the leftovers, it reheats very well and you can keep it in the fridge up to 4 days in an air tight glass or plastic container. That makes this dish perfect for meal preparation for the week.
What to Serve with Arroz con Pollo?
I love serving this Colombian arroz con pollo with ketchup, lime wedges, avocado, this simple green salad or avocado and tomato salad.
Everything you’ll need to make Arroz con Pollo
The full printable recipe card with ingredient amounts, directions and tips is below.
Chicken: I like to use bone in chicken breast to make this recipe.
Seasoning: cumin, sazón with azafran, bay leaf, salt & pepper.
Vegetables: carrots, peas, green beans, onions, scallions, garlic, red and green bell pepper.
Flavor: tomato paste, chicken broth and chicken bouillon.
Oil: olive oil, canola or vegetable oil will work for this recipe.
Rice: I like to use white long grain rice.
Herbs: cilantro, if you don't like it just use parsley.
This Authentic Colombian-Style Rice with Chicken recipe is easy to make and a wonderful one-pan meal. It's perfect for any celebration or a weeknight meal or lunch.
How to Make the Best Arroz con Pollo
- Place the chicken breast, 5 cups of 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 and set aside. Strain stock and measure 2 ½ cups and set aside.
- In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, green peppers, garlic and red bell pepper. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the rice, tomato paste, chicken bouillon and sazon goya. Stir until the rice is well coated about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the peas, carrots and green beans and cook for and additional 7 minutes, add the shredded chicken and cilantro, mix well with a fork, cover and cook for 5 minutes more.
More Colombian Dishes to Try:
Empanadas Colombianas (Colombian Empanadas), Sancocho de Gallina (Chicken Sancocho), Ajiaco Bogotano (Chichen and Potato Soup), Bandeja Paisa (Paisa Tray), Pandebono (Cheese Bread), Buñuelos (Cheese Balls) and Arepas Rellenas de Queso (Cheese Stuffed Arepas).
Arroz con Pollo Recipe
Ingredients
To make the stock
- 2 whole chicken breast bone in and skin removed
- 2 scallions
- ½ white onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- ½ tablespoon ground cumin
- ½ tablespoon sazon Goya with azafran
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and Pepper
To make the Rice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
- ¼ cup chopped green pepper
- 1 cup long- grain white rice
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 chicken bouillon tablet
- 2 ½ cups chicken stock
- ½ tablespoon sazon goya with azafran
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ½ cup frozen diced carrots
- ½ cup frozen diced green beans
Instructions
To make the chicken stock
- Place the chicken breast, 5 cups of 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 and set aside. Strain stock and measure 2 ½ cups and set aside.
- In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, green peppers, garlic and red bell pepper. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the rice, tomato paste, chicken bouillon and sazon goya. Stir until the rice is well coated about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the peas, carrots and green beans and cook for and additional 7 minutes, add the shredded chicken and cilantro, mix well with a fork, cover and cook for 5 minutes more.
Liliana
Best arroz con pollo recipe. My mom used to make it and I don't have her recipe. This is very similar to her dish.
Manuel
Easy and authentic arroz con pollo recipe. Staple dish in my house
Catalina Calle
Taste like the my abuela would make it. Thank You!!! But quick question in the ingredients it says bay leaf but I didn’t see it in the recipe instructions.
Erica Dinho
You can check the instructions. It's to make the chicken stock.
Freddy
This is an easy and authentic arroz con pollo recipe. I tried other versions, but always come back to this colombian arroz con pollo.
Alberto
This arroz con pollo recipe is fantastic.
Gustavo
Arroz con Pollo is a staple in my house. I usually make the Mexican version I grew up eating, but this colombian arroz con pollo is amazing. Thank you for sharing this recipe and all your colombian food with us.
Liliana
I grew up eating this arroz con pollo dish. I love this Colombian version and try to make it every weekend.Easy one pot meal for the whole family.
Diego
This Arroz con Pollo recipe is a popular staple in my house.Easy recipe and taste delicious
Gloria
I make this arroz con pollo recipe every weekend and it's perfect. Thank you for sharing these amazing Colombian recipes.
Astrid
Best Colombian recipes blog. I love this arroz con pollo recipe, every time I make it for my family everyone loves it.
Beverly Meiner
My goodness this is good! I made it with chicken thighs. The broth was awesome. I let it simmer all morning. Then I finished it off so I could have it for lunch. Very delicious! I have a goal this year to learn how to cook foods from Latin America, Puerto Rico & Cuba. This recipe is a great way to start!
Natalia
Can you specify what are the “ingredients for the stock”?
Dan
Thank you. Great recipe. Made this last night for my wife and me. Excellent. Many years ago (early '70s) I spent a few weeks with a family in Bogota. Great memories still. Last night for a culture clash I served with buttermilk biscuits. Spectacular.
chris 06
Beaucoup de ressemblance avec la paella espagnole
Merci et bises Chris 06
Kudrat kart
I made this today and used Triguisar instead of Sazón Goya- turned out great! Awesome recipe
Andrew W.
Making this tonight for the 3rd week in a row... Stores excellent and I actually find myself eating it for breakfast most often, with a fried egg on top of course! Thank you so much.
Yamilet
I'm so excited to try this recipe, I ate this a lot growing up but never learned how to make it!
If you're using the sazon Goya packets, how many would you use?
Erica Dinho
1/2 or 1. To your taste.