Easy Arroz Con Pollo (Chicken & Rice)

Arroz con pollo, chicken with rice, is comfort food across Latin America and Spain, and this stripped-down version gets you there without a long ingredient list.

The signature is saffron. Crumbling the threads and soaking them in water first coaxes out their golden color and honeyed, floral aroma, which tints the rice a sunny yellow.

A chicken bouillon cube does the seasoning work, infusing the cooking water with savory depth as the rice drinks it up.

The rice cooks in stages, with more water added partway through along with the saffron, so the grains stay fluffy and separate rather than gluey.

Green peas stir in for pops of color and sweetness, and the chicken turns it into a full meal in a single pot.

Chef Tips

• Bloom the saffron in a little warm water before adding it; soaking releases far more color and flavor than tossing the threads in dry.
• Add hot water rather than cold when topping up the pot so the simmer doesn’t stall.
• Let the rice rest covered off the heat for a few minutes before fluffing, so it finishes steaming.

Variations

• Brown bone-in chicken thighs first, then cook the rice in the same pot for deeper flavor.
• Stir in diced bell pepper, tomato, or olives for a more traditional arroz con pollo.
• Use turmeric or a packet of sazon if saffron is out of reach; the color comes through, though the flavor differs.