Mexican Style Arroz con Pollo

Tender Mexican-style arroz con pollo with green beans,
red bell pepper and aromatics cooked in achiote broth
and served with fresh cilantro.

Nearly every region, culture, and country in Latin America
has its own version of arroz con pollo, or directly translated,
rice with chicken. Our version leans on hearty brown rice,
chicken breasts, and colorful peppers and green beans
to create a dish that is both delicious and packed with
nutrients. Feel free to use any sweet pepper when recreating
this dish; red, orange, purple, green, etc. It also happens to
be a “one-pot meal”, so three cheers for simple, delicious,
and healthy meals!  This recipe is gluten-free.

Cooking Terms

  • Mince

    Cut ingredients into very small pieces.

  • Sauté

    Cook quickly in a small amount of fat over high heat; literally "to jump."

  • Simmer

    Cook gently below or just at boiling point.

Ingredients

  • 10 oz Brown rice
  • 1.5 tsp Smoked paprika
  • 1.5 tsp Vegetable broth base
  • 8 oz Green beans
  • 1 each Bell pepper
  • 1 each Lime
  • 11 sprig Cilantro
  • 7 each Garlic cloves
  • 1 each Onion
  • 1 pound Chicken breasts

From Your Home

Salt
Black pepper
Olive or canola oil

What You Need

Medium deep sauté pan with lid

Per Serving

Calories: 645

Carbs: 66

Fat: 7

Protein: 19

Tips

  • Achiote Substitute

    For the Mexican Style Arroz con Pollo recipe, we substituted smoked paprika for the more traditional achiote.  This seasoning is traditionally made with annatto seeds that add bright color to the dish (these make cheddar cheese yellow too!).  You can try making a similar substitute by combining:

    • 1 ½ Tbsp paprika
    • 1 Tbsp white vinegar
    • ¾ tsp dried oregano
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • ¼ tsp oil
    • ¼ tsp ground cumin

    Mix the spices and oil together and store any extra in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

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Steps

Mise en Place

Read through the entire recipe before
getting started. Wash and dry all produce.
Remove seeds and stem from bell pepper,
then julienne. Peel, then small dice
onion. Remove ends from green beans
(if necessary), then slice into ¼” pieces.
Mince or grate garlic. Tear cilantro leaves
and stems. Cut lime into eighths. Dissolve
vegetable broth base and smoked paprika
in 4½ cups warm water. Remove chicken
breasts from package; rinse and pat dry. Cut
into ½” pieces.

Sear Chicken

Heat 1 tsp. oil in a medium deep sauté pan
over medium heat. Season chicken with a
pinch of salt and pepper. Add to sauté pan
and sear over medium heat for 3-4 min per
side until golden brown. Remove from pan.
Do not clean.
Note: Chicken is not fully cooked at this
point.

Saute Aromatics

Add onion, garlic and bell pepper to
previously used pan. Sauté 1-2 min until
softened; then, add rice and sauté another
3-4 min until lightly toasted and nutty.

Cook Arroz con Pollo

Add the paprika/vegetable broth and chicken
pieces to pan. Bring to a simmer; cover and
reduce heat to low. Cook 30-35 min until rice is
tender and liquid is absorbed. Fluff with fork.
Note: If the rice has absorbed the water but isn’t
fully cooked; add ¼ cup water, cover and cook 8-10
min longer.
USDA recommends cooking chicken to an internal
temperature 165ºF.

Finish Arroz con Pollo

Add green beans and cook, stirring
occasionally, another 4-5 min until green
beans are tender and liquid has evaporated.
Add cilantro and a squeeze of lime and mix
gently to combine.

Plate Your Dish

Divide arroz con pollo between four plates or
bowls. Enjoy!