This arroz con pollo recipe takes the classic chicken and rice dish to the next level with smoky chipotle marinated chicken and crispy tomato rice. Finished with fresh lime, avocado, queso fresco and herbs, it’s a bold and satisfying meal packed with flavor.
What is Arroz con Pollo?
Arroz con pollo is a traditional Latin American dish that translates to “rice with chicken.” It is usually made with chicken, seasoned rice, vegetables and spices to create a comforting one-pot meal.
Different regions have their own versions. Some use saffron for color, while others include peppers, tomatoes or olives for added flavor.
This version adds a smoky chipotle marinade and crispy rice texture, giving the dish a modern twist while still maintaining the essence of the classic recipe.
Gather This
Arroz con pollo is made with a lot of ingredients, but they all come together to create one delicious meal! A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Chicken thighs – I like to use boneless skinless chicken thighs because they’re juicy and usually more tender than chicken breasts. You can, however, swap for breasts if you prefer.
- Chipotle peppers
- Fresh garlic
- Fresh limes
- Vegetable oil
- Orange juice
- Honey
- Apple cider vinegar
- Worcestershire sauce
- Smoked paprika
- Ground cumin
- Dried oregano
- Coarse kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- Instant rice
- White onion
- Diced tomatoes
- Diced green chiles
- Hot sauce
- Rice flour
- Scallions
- Avocado
- Queso fresco
- Jalapeno
How to Make Arroz con Pollo (Step-by-Step)
The process may look long, but I’ve laid out the steps in an easy-to-follow format!
- Add marinade ingredients to food processor. In a food processor, combine the peppers, garlic, zest and juice of limes, water, vegetable oil, orange juice, honey, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and seasonings. Pulse on high until the mixture is emulsified.
- Marinate chicken. Place the chicken into a shallow dish and pierce with a fork. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Cover and chill for 4-6 hours.
- Prepare oven. When ready to cook, preheat the oven. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard excess liquid.
- Cook chicken. Heat a pan over medium high heat, adding vegetable oil. Sear the chicken on each side until browned. Transfer the pan to the hot oven until the internal temperature reaches 165°F using a digital thermometer.
- Allow to rest. Remove and allow to rest before slicing.
- Cook rice, then chill. Prepare the rice according to package directions. When cooked, spread into a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator, uncovered, until cold and tacky.
- Cook the onions, garlic and veggies. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet. Sauté the onion. Add the garlic, sauteing for another minute. Add the drained tomatoes, green chiles and hot sauce. Stir together and heat.
Make the Rice
- Toss rice in flour. Place the rice flour into a large mixing bowl, spoon in the cold cooked rice. Toss well using your hands. Toss the rice into a fine mesh sieve or colander to shake off the excess rice flour.
- Crisp rice. Heat the vegetable oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add half of the rice, spreading into a single layer. Allow to sit a few minutes. Flip, as best you can, and arrange in a single layer, browning again. Do this one more time. Remove this batch of rice to a bowl or plate. Add more oil to the skillet and repeat with the remaining rice.
- Toss in lime juice. When through, pour the first batch of rice and the tomato mixture back into the skillet, tossing over medium heat to combine. Add the zest and juice of the lime right before serving.
- Assemble. Spoon the crispy rice into a bowl, top with the sliced chipotle chicken and desired toppings including sliced avocado, cilantro, jalapeno slices, scallions, crumbled queso fresco and more fresh limes, if desired.
Make it A Meal
Although this arroz con pollo is a complete meal all on its own, you can certainly pair it with any number of sides. I personally like refried beans, refried black beans and even homemade tortillas.
And you can never go wrong with chips and dips! Crunchy tortilla chips with either homemade salsa, guacamole or queso is always the move.
More Latin-Inspired Dishes
I love going out to our local Mexican restaurant, but making dishes at home is fun too! Here are some of our favorites.
Arroz con Pollo Recipe
This arroz con pollo recipe features chipotle citrus chicken served over crispy tomato rice with fresh toppings. A bold and flavorful chicken and rice dinner.
Servings:
Ingredients
Chipotle Chicken:
- ¾ cup chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 4 cloves garlic , peeled and coarsely chopped
- 2 fresh limes , zested and juiced
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1.25 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs about 5 medium filets
- Vegetable oil , for cooking
Crispy Rice:
- 2 cups instant rice
- ½ cup vegetable oil , divided
- ½ cup white onion , diced
- 2-3 cloves fresh garlic , minced
- 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes , drained
- 4 ounce can diced green chiles , drained
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 1 ½ cups rice flour*
- 1 fresh lime , zested and juiced
Garnishes:
- 2-3 tablespoon scallions , chopped
- 1 avocado , sliced
- 1 cup queso fresco , crumbled
- ½ cup cilantro leaves
- 1 jalapeno , sliced
- Lime wedges
Instructions
For the Chicken:
- In a large food processor, combine the ¾ cup chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 4 cloves garlic, zest and juice of 2 fresh limes, ½ cup water, ¼ cup vegetable oil, ¼ cup orange juice, 3 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Pulse on high until the mixture is emulsified.
- Place the chicken into a shallow dish and pierce it several times with a fork. Pour the marinade over the1.25 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Cover and chill for 4-6 hours.
- When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350°F (if using stovetop instructions). Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard excess liquid.
- To Make in A Grill Pan or Cast Iron (or other oven safe pan)– Heat over medium high heat, adding 1-2 teaspoons vegetable oil. Sear the chicken on each side for 4-5 minutes, or until browned. Transfer the pan to the hot oven for 10-12 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F using a digital thermometer.
- Remove and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
For the Rice:
- Prepare the 2 cups instant rice according to package directions. When cooked, spread into a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 1-2 hours or until cold and tacky.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large skillet. Add the chopped ½ cup white onion, sautéing for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the minced 2-3 cloves fresh garlic, sautéing for another 1 minute. Stir in the drained 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes, 4 ounce can diced green chiles and 2 teaspoons hot sauce. Stir together and heat for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Do not clean out the skillet, but turn off the heat.
- Place the 1 ½ cups rice flour* into a large mixing bowl, spoon in the cold cooked rice. Toss well using your hands. Toss the rice into a fine mesh sieve or colander to shake off the excess rice flour.
- Heat 2-3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add half of the rice, spreading into a single layer. Allow to sit for 1-2 minutes. Flip, as best you can, and arrange in a single layer, browning again for 1-2 minutes. Do this one more time. Remove this batch of rice to a bowl or plate. Add another 2-3 tablespoons of oil to the skillet and repeat with the remaining rice.
- When through, pour the first batch of rice and the tomato mixture back into the skillet, tossing over medium heat to combine. Add the zest and juice of the lime right before serving.
Assemble & Garnish:
- Spoon the crispy rice into a bowl, top with the sliced chipotle chicken and desired toppings including sliced avocado, cilantro, jalapeño slices, scallions, crumbled queso fresco and more fresh limes, if desired.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Notes
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
*I used Bob’s Red Mill from the GF baking aisle.
Nutrition
Calories: 813 kcal, Carbohydrates: 82 g, Protein: 31 g, Fat: 41 g, Saturated Fat: 8 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 17 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 12 g, Trans Fat: 0.4 g, Cholesterol: 75 mg, Sodium: 1183 mg, Potassium: 996 mg, Fiber: 8 g, Sugar: 15 g, Vitamin A: 1222 IU, Vitamin C: 38 mg, Calcium: 212 mg, Iron: 5 mg
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