Arroz con pollo a la mexicana – Mexican Chicken Rice Recipe
Arroz con pollo a la mexicana is a one-pot dish of rice, chicken pieces, and vegetables, seasoned with tomatoes, garlic, and spices. In Mexican homes it’s a common way to make a quick lunch – everything cooks in one pot, and the result is something between paella and our pilaf. The flavor is mildly tomatoey, gently herby, and very homey.
Arroz con pollo a la mexicana is the essence of homestyle Mexican cooking – everything happens in one pot, and the rice soaks up the flavor of the chicken, tomatoes, and spices. The dish is like a cross between paella and pilaf but with its own character: gentle tomato notes, a hint of cumin, and fresh coriander that give it a warm, family-friendly profile. It’s the kind of lunch that disappears from the pot before you can even put the ladle down.
Chef's tips
Once you’ve added the stock and tomatoes, avoid stirring the rice – that way it stays fluffy instead of turning mushy. If you use a different type of rice than long-grain, check the cooking time on the package and, if needed, add a little extra stock at the end. Brown the chicken well at the start: those browned bits on the bottom of the pot add a lot of flavor to the whole dish.
How to serve
Serve straight from the pot, sprinkled with fresh coriander or parsley, with lime wedges for squeezing – the acidity cuts through the tomato sweetness. A simple cucumber and red onion salad or a quick tomato salsa goes very well on the side. To drink, choose light beer, lime water, or homemade agua fresca; at my place it most often appears on the table on Friday evening instead of a classic pork chop dinner.
Ingredients
- rice - 250 g
- chicken thighs - 500 g
- onion - 1 piece
- garlic - 3 cloves
- bell pepper - 1 piece
- carrot - 1 piece
- canned tomatoes - 200 g
- chicken stock - 600 ml
- cumin - 0.5 teaspoons
- sweet paprika - 1 teaspoon
- bay leaf - 1 piece
- vegetable oil - 2 tablespoons
- salt - 1 teaspoon
- black pepper - 0.5 teaspoons
- coriander - 5 g
Preparation
- Rinse the rice in a sieve under running water until the water is almost clear, then drain well.
- Cut the chicken into large cubes (about 3 cm), season with salt and pepper.
- Finely chop the onion and garlic. Deseed the pepper and cut it into strips or dice. Peel the carrot and cut it into small cubes.
- Heat the oil in a wide pot or deep frying pan. Add the chicken pieces and fry for 5–7 minutes over medium-high heat until lightly browned on all sides. Remove the meat to a plate.
- In the same pot add the onion and carrot and fry for 3–4 minutes, until the onion softens and turns slightly translucent.
- Add the garlic, sweet paprika, and cumin and fry for 1 more minute, stirring, until the spices become fragrant.
- Add the rice, stir, and fry for 1–2 minutes so every grain is coated with the fat and spices.
- Add the canned tomatoes, stock, bay leaf, and the browned chicken pieces along with any juices from the plate. Gently stir.
- Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook for 18–20 minutes without stirring, until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid.
- Turn off the heat and leave the pot covered for another 5–10 minutes to let the rice finish cooking in its own steam.
- Before serving, remove the bay leaf, sprinkle the dish with chopped coriander or parsley, and gently fluff the rice with a fork.
Storage
Cool the rice and chicken completely, then store in airtight containers in the fridge and reheat gently with a splash of stock or water so the rice doesn’t dry out. It also freezes well in individual portions for future quick lunches.
