Mexican Arroz con Pollo
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This Mexican Arroz Con Pollo recipe is a hearty classic, perfect for dinner any night of the week. It is made with skin-on chicken thighs and Mexican rice all in one skillet!
Arroz con Pollo is a Latin American dish that translates to “chicken and rice.” Every cook, in every country has their own version of this simple meal. I chose to go with a Mexican-inspired dish using tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, garlic, and Mexican seasoning.
This dish originated in Peru where it is made with saffron to create a yellow color instead of the red version I have created. Saffron is also used in Spain. In Puerto Rico this dish is made with beer and annatto oil, and many people season with sofrito (a mixture of tomatoes, peppers and onion cooked in oil)
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What you will need:
- skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs. I used four good sized thighs, but you could also use six smaller ones.
- Mexican seasoning – or any combination of spices that you like.
- olive oil
- diced white onion
- diced jalapeno pepper or serrano if you like more heat.
- minced, fresh garlic
- uncooked Jasmine rice
- chicken stock
- canned, diced tomatoes
- chopped, fresh cilantro
- sea salt and black pepper
How to make Arroz con Pollo Mexican:
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the skillet.
Season both sides of the chicken thighs with Mexican seasoning.
Sear the chicken thighs, skin-side down until the skin gets golden brown, about five minutes. Turn down the heat if the skillet gets too hot.
Flip the chicken thighs over and sear the other side for 2 minutes.
Remove the thighs from the skillet and place on a plate, then cover with foil to keep warm.
Add the diced onion and jalapeno pepper to the skillet. Cook until they begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one additional minute.
Add the rice, stir and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. It will not brown, but it will start to absorb the oil and flavors.
Add the chicken stock and use a wooden spoon or turner to scrape all of the bits up off the bottom of the skillet. Next, add the diced tomatoes and continue to heat until it starts to boil.
Return the chicken thighs to the skillet and push them into the rice.
Reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover the skillet and with a lid and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the rice is cooked through and the chicken thighs are no longer pink in the center.
Remove the chicken thighs and stir in the chopped cilantro leaves.
Season with salt and pepper, and adjust any other seasonings as needed.
Serve sprinkled with crumbled queso or cheese of your choice, chunks of avocado, Mexican crema, and additional cilantro.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- My chicken looks burnt, but it didn’t taste burnt. My large burner has a mind of it’s own. Keep an eye on the chicken and reduce the heat if needed.
- For picky eaters, simply season with salt and pepper and skip the Mexican seasoning.
Tools used to create this recipe:
- Enamel Coated Casserole
- Wood Turner
- Strainer for the tomatoes.
- Cutting Board
- Chefs Knife for the chopping and dicing.
- Mexican Seasoning just in case you do not want to make your own.
You can see the rest of my favorite kitchen tools and gadgets here in my Amazon Affiliate Page. I earn a small commission when you purchase through my links, at no cost to you, so I can keep bringing you more delicious recipes!
Additional recipes with chicken thighs:
- Chicken Thighs with Olives, Capers, and Lemon
- Guinness Beer-Braised Chicken Thighs
- Skillet Chicken Cacciatore
- Lemon-Garlic Skillet Chicken
- Chicken au Champagne
- Sheet Pan Greek Chicken Dinner with thinly sliced potato and zucchini.
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Enjoy!!
Mexican Arroz con Pollo
Equipment
- Skillet with a Lid
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 chicken thighs skin-on, bone-in
- 2 tablespoons Mexican seasoning use more or less if desired
- 0.5 cup chopped onion mine is small diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeds and stem removed, and diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup Jasmine rice or any white rice that cooks for 15 minutes
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 15 ounce can diced tomatoes drained
- .25 cup chopped cilantro plus additional for serving
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the skillet.
- Season both sides of the chicken thighs with Mexican seasoning.
- Sear the chicken thighs, skin-side down until the skin gets golden brown, about five minutes. Turn down the heat if the skillet gets too hot. Flip the chicken thighs over and sear the other side for 2 minutes.
- Remove the thighs from the skillet and place on a plate, then cover with foil to keep warm.
- Add the diced onion and jalapeno pepper to the skillet. Cook until they begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one additional minute.
- Add the rice, stir and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. It will not brown, but it will start to absorb the oil and flavors.
- Add the chicken stock and use a wooden spoon or turner to scrape all of the bits up off the bottom of the skillet. Next, add the diced tomatoes and continue to heat until it starts to boil.
- Return the chicken thighs to the skillet and push them into the rice. Reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover the skillet and with a lid and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the rice is cooked through and the chicken thighs are no longer pink in the center.
- Remove the chicken thighs and stir in the chopped cilantro leaves. Season with salt and pepper, and adjust any other seasonings as needed.
- Serve sprinkled with crumbled queso or cheese of your choice, chunks of avocado, Mexican crema, and additional cilantro.
