Description
A comforting and flavorful one-pot meal, Mama’s Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice is a traditional dish packed with vibrant Latin flavors. Tender chicken thighs or drumsticks are seared to golden perfection and simmered with aromatic vegetables, rice, and a blend of savory seasonings until perfectly cooked. This dish is a celebration of Puerto Rican cuisine that will transport you to the colorful streets of San Juan with each delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or drumsticks
- 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Rice:
- 1 small onion (diced)
- 1/2 green bell pepper (diced)
- 1/2 red bell pepper (diced)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice (rinsed)
- 1 packet Sazón seasoning with achiote
- 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup frozen peas (optional)
Additional:
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Season the chicken with adobo, salt, and pepper.
- Sear the Chicken: In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil and sear the chicken until golden brown. Set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same pan, sauté onion, bell peppers, and garlic until softened.
- Add Rice and Seasonings: Stir in tomato paste, rice, and Sazón seasoning.
- Simmer: Pour in chicken broth and tomato sauce, then return the chicken to the pan. Simmer until rice is cooked and chicken is tender.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in cilantro and peas, let rest, and serve with lime wedges.
Notes
- For extra flavor, marinate the chicken in adobo seasoning before cooking.
- Enhance the dish with pimiento-stuffed olives or diced ham.
- Use a nonstick pot to prevent rice sticking at the bottom.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/4 cups
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 115mg