Easy Instant Pot Puerto Rican Rice & Chicken | Arroz con Pollo
Arroz con pollo is a go-to in Puerto Rican homes! It is a hearty, delicious, one-pot meal done quickly that everyone will love. This Easy Instant Pot Puerto Rican Rice & Chicken will become a go-to in your home!
Jump to RecipeArroz con pollo is one of the most popular dishes in Latin America. In Puerto Rico we have variations such as arroz con gandules (rice and pigeon peas) and arroz guisado con habichuelas (stewed rice and beans). The truth is yellow rice is a staple in Puerto Rican cuisine. This color rice originated in Spain but it has transformed into many different flavors and combinations across latin cuisines.
One of the reasons Puerto Rican rice & chicken is so beloved is because of its convenience. It is a hearty, delicious, one-pot meal that does not require much preparation beforehand or cleanup afterward. Everything goes into the same pot and by the time it is done cooking, you have already finished cleaning the dishes used to make it. This rice recipe is also a great way to use up any leftover chicken. Plus, making it in the Instant Pot makes it easier as you can place all the ingredients together and let it cook on its own without it taking a long time. Brilliant!
Instant Pot Puerto Rican Arroz con Pollo.
For this Instant Pot Puerto Rican Rice & Chicken, you do not need much equipment aside from your pressure cooker and a large wooden spoon. As far as ingredients are concerned, you need long grain rice, chicken, olive oil, adobo seasoning, homemade sofrito, 1 packet of sazon, chicken bouillon, roasted red peppers, bay leaves, tomato sauce (or paste), water, and chicken broth, and green olives (optional).
For the chicken, I prefer to use thighs or drumsticks because the bone adds delicious flavor and nutrients that the breast alone does not. However, there is the convenience of simply cubing some boneless skinless chicken breasts and not having to worry about bones afterward. Growing up, we used whatever chicken we had available and so I learned to appreciate what each chicken cut brings to the table. It is up to you and you prefer.
For the homemade sofrito, if you do not have any at hand you can either buy the jar version from the grocery store or make a vegetable base yourself. If you want to checkout my Quick & Easy Homemade sofrito recipe, feel free to do so! You will not regret using it on this recipe and saving some for other dishes later. 😊
If you do not have chicken bouillon at hand, you can omit the water in the recipe and double the chicken broth. This will give you the right amount of liquids for your rice without sacrificing flavor. If you do have the bouillon, you can use half water and half broth (like I did) or just use two cups of water.
Once you have all your ingredients, begin by setting the Instant Pot to Sauté, and add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pot. While the pot heats up, pat dry the chicken and sprinkle it generously with Adobo seasoning. As soon as the pot is hot, add the chicken and sear it for about three minutes on each side. This may be done in batches if the chicken pieces do not all fit in the bottom of the pot.
If you are using chicken breast, you do not have to remove it from the pot, simply move on to adding the next ingredients. However, if you are using thighs or drumsticks, it is best to remove them from the pot and set them aside on a warm plate while you make the sofrito base. Otherwise, it is difficult to sauté the rest of the ingredients.
Add the sofrito, sazon with annatto, chicken bouillon (if using), roasted red bell peppers sliced, and bay leaves. Quick note: some Instant Pots are sensitive to tomatoes/tomato sauce. If yours is one of them (like mine) wait to add the tomato sauce until the end to avoid the “burn” message some IP’s give. If that is not the case with your pot, add the tomato sauce now with the sofrito base and stir it all together.
Add the water and broth and with a wooden spoon deglaze the bottom of the pot. Those bits end up giving lots of flavor to the meal! Now you may add the rice and the chicken back to the pot. If you have not poured the tomato sauce, do so now over the chicken. Do not stir. Then place the lid and lock it to Sealing. Set the IP to High Pressure and the cooking time to 10 minutes. It will take a few minutes for the cooker to pressurize and begin cooking.
Once the 10 minutes are done, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for 5 minutes. Afterward, quickly release the remaining pressure. Open the IP and with a long spoon, stir the rice to ensure it is all done. Serve hot with some avocado slices and maybe even some tostones (fried green plantains)!
A few extra notes.
I used an 8-quart pot for this recipe, which tends to be finicky about certain things burning in the bottom. The tomato not touching the bottom is one way to avoid it. Ensuring to scrape all the bits from the bottom is another great way to steer clear of it. If for some reason you still get the burn notice after it has pressurized, simply keep everything in the pot (do not cancel it), and release pressure after the 15 minutes have passed.
The amount of water/broth might not seem like it is enough for the rice, but this is not the case. Liquids have already been added with the sofrito, and the chicken releases juices as it cooks, tool. If you are using chicken breasts, you may add an extra ½ cup of water. Adding too much water might make the rice mushy or too wet and that is not pleasant to eat.
It is normal for some of the rice to burn and stick to the bottom of the sides. It is called “pegao” by Puerto Ricans and it simply builds up on the flavor and texture of the rice. Many people eat it back home, but I do not. You are more than welcome to give it a try, though. 😉
Storing.
Any leftover rice can be stored in an airtight container for about three to four days in the refrigerator. If frozen properly, it can last up to three months in the freezer. It can be warmed up on the stovetop at low heat, or in the microwave covered with a damp paper towel.
I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe! This instant pot Puerto Rican rice & chicken is so simple, full of flavor, and perfect for a large family or any gathering with friends. I truly hope it becomes a staple in your home as it is in so many Puerto Rican households.
¡Buen provecho from The Happy Wookiee!
Easy Instant Pot Puerto Rican Rice & Chicken | Arroz con Pollo
Equipment
- 1 Pressure cooker
- 1 Large Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
- 2 cups long-grain white rice Jasmine rice
- 2 lbs chicken thighs, drumsticks or breasts see notes if using chicken breast
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Adobo seasoning
- 1/3 cup sofrito
- 1 packet sazon seasoning with coriander & annatto
- 1 chicken bouillon cube (if using water instead of broth)
- 1/2 cup roasted red bell peppers sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 oz tomato sauce or 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup chicken broth *
- 1/4 cup green olives optional
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and add olive oil.
- Season the chicken with Adobo seasoning and rub.
- Once the pot is hot, add the chicken and sear it, about 3 minutes on each side. This may be done in batches if the chicken pieces do not all fit in the bottom of the pot.
- Set chicken aside on a warm plate.
- In the Instant Pot, add sofrito, sazon packet, and bouillon cube, bay leaves, and peppers (if not using chicken broth for your liquid), and stir.
- Quick note: some Instant Pots are sensitive to tomatoes/tomato sauce. If yours is one of them (like mine) wait to add the tomato sauce until the end to avoid the “burn” message some IP’s give. If that is not the case with your pot, add the tomato sauce now with the sofrito base.
- Add chicken broth and water and with a wooden spoon, deglaze the bottom of the pot. Those bits end up giving lots of flavor to the meal!
- Add rice and stir.
- Place chicken on top of rice then pour the tomato sauce on top if you have not done so yet to avoid the “burn” message.
- Place lid on the pressure cooker and set to Sealing. Select High Pressure and set cook time for 10 minutes. It will take a few minutes for the cooker to pressurize and begin cooking.
- Once it is done cooking, allow the IP to do a natural pressure release for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, do a quick release, and open the cooker.
- Stir the rice well to ensure everything is done.
- Serve hot with some avocado slices and some tostones (fried green plantains)!
- ¡Buen provecho from The Happy Wookiee!
