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. ThisInstant Pot Puerto Rican Rice & Chicken will become a staple in your home!
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!
Notes
I prefer to use bone-in chicken cuts due to the flavor it adds. However, if you prefer chicken breast, simply cube it and once it is seared in the pot add the rest of the ingredients. It does not have to be removed from the pot.
If you use tomato paste instead of sauce, use about 2 tablespoons instead of the 4 ounces you would with the tomato sauce.
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, too. 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.
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.
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. 😉
Leftover rice can be stored in an airtight container for about three to four days in the refrigerator. It can be warmed up on the stovetop at low heat, or in the microwave covered with a damp paper towel.