This Instant Pot arroz con pollo has a freshness that is always missing from store-bought yellow rice. The flavor is bright yet warm and comforting at the same time.
(Originally posted on May 18, 2018; Updated on July 24, 2024.)
Like most people from the South, I grew up eating chicken and yellow rice. I can spot a bag of Vigo rice from a mile away. It wasn't until I was an adult that I realized what I had always eaten was a bad substitute for authentic arroz con pollo. After doing quite a bit of research, I'm really pleased with this Instant Pot arroz con pollo.
Contrary to popular opinion, arroz con pollo originated in Spain, but its worldwide popularity emerged from the Caribbean. There are so many variations from country to country; everybody thinks theirs is the best! I am affectionate for the Puerto Rican version, which uses sofrito, a combination of vegetables, spices, herbs, and tomato sauce. I used that method as the basis for this recipe, but I didn't sauté the sofrito first.
Why This Recipe Works
- Simple Ingredients: Uses basic, easily accessible ingredients.
- Homemade Sofrito: Adds a fresh, vibrant flavor.
- Whole Chicken: Enhances flavor and makes it cost-effective.
- Authentic Flavor: Inspired by Puerto Rican sofrito.
What is Special About This Recipe
- Making homemade sofrito is the key to this recipe's fresh flavor. While the homemade chicken stock makes this dish comforting, its true essence comes from the sofrito.
- We often think of comfort food as unhealthy, yet this recipe is simultaneously comforting, delicious, and healthy!
- It makes quite a lot and doesn't break the bank. This meal can feed our family of five dinner portions twice.
More Rice Recipes You Will Love
- Grandma B's Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
- Instant Pot Dirty Rice
- Rice Bake with Ham and Baby Lima Beans
- Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients for Instant Pot Arroz con Pollo
- Whole Chicken (6 lb.): Adds depth of flavor and richness.
- Adobo Seasoning (4 tsp.): Adds savory flavor.
- Black Pepper (1 tsp.): Provides mild heat.
- Yellow Onion (1 medium): Sweetness and aroma.
- Tomatoes (2 medium): Adds acidity and richness.
- Red Bell Pepper (1): Sweetness and color.
- Cilantro (1 small bunch): Fresh, herbal flavor.
- Garlic (1 Tbsp.): Robust and aromatic.
- Capers (1 Tbsp.): Adds a tangy flavor.
- Sazón Goya Packet (1): Enhances the overall taste.
- Green Olives (¼ cup, sliced): Adds brininess.
- Long Grain White Rice (3 cups): Main carb component, absorbs flavors.
How to Make Instant Pot Arroz con Pollo
And This is the Amazing Result
Expert Tips
- If I can offer you just one tip for making this recipe, it is to make your own sofrito! There are some good store-bought options, but it's so easy to make that you won't regret it. You can make it in about five minutes (and while the chicken is cooking).
- If you've ever made stock using a whole chicken, you already know what a difference it makes in taste. There are two more benefits to using a whole chicken: whole chicken is the cheapest way to buy chicken, and there is no waste.
- Some people may prefer to avoid the Sazon Goya seasoning packets. While we prefer this recipe with the extra flavor it brings, we have made it without in a pinch, and the recipe was still flavorful.
FAQs
Can I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts? The short answer is yes, but you must make some modifications. If your goal for using chicken breasts is to cook everything in the pot at once, I'll tell you why I don't recommend that here. Rice has a specific cooking time. Neither one of those times is ideal for cooking chicken breasts. So I would suggest cooking them separately - either in broth in the pot for 7 minutes at high pressure with quick release OR bake in the oven at 425F for 25-30 minutes.
For the rice portion, you'll want 7 cups of store-bought broth in the pot, and follow the recipe as written from that point forward. You want an extra cup of broth than what's listed because we're compensating for about a cup of water that would usually cook out of the chicken.
Can I use a rotisserie chicken? Yes. But instead of starting with 6 cups of water, add 7 cups of store-bought chicken broth to the pot. Then, follow the recipe as written. You want an extra cup of broth than what's listed because we're compensating for about a cup of water that usually cooks out of the chicken.
Can I use frozen chicken? While I always recommend using fresh or thawed chicken, this recipe will work with frozen chicken. The cooking time will remain the same.
How long will leftovers last? Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
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📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Arroz con Pollo (Chicken and Rice)
Ingredients
- 6 lb. whole chicken
- 6 cups water
- 4 tsp. Adobo seasoning
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion peeled, quartered
- 2 medium tomatoes cored
- 1 red bell pepper ribs and seeds removed, chopped
- 1 small bunch of cilantro thoroughly washed
- 1 Tbsp. garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp. capers
- 1 Sazón Goya packet
- ¼ cup green olives sliced
- 3 cups long grain white rice
Instructions
- Place the whole chicken in the Instant Pot, breast side up. Add water, Adobo, and black pepper. Lock the lid, close the vent, and set the cooking time for 30 minutes at high pressure. Once cooking time is complete, allow pressure to release naturally (about 30 minutes).
- While chicken cooks, place onions in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add tomatoes, red bell pepper, cilantro, garlic, and capers, and pulse until combined (makes about 2 cups).
- Transfer the chicken to a separate bowl (it may fall apart). Pass the broth through a fine mesh strainer and return to the Instant Pot.
- Add sofrito, Sazón Goya, olives, and rice to the broth. Mix well. Lock the lid and cook at low pressure for 4 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick-release the remaining pressure.
- While the rice cooks, separate the chicken meat from the bones into bite-sized pieces. Discard the skin and bones.
- Add chicken pieces to the pot mix well, and serve.
Video
Notes
Expert Tips
-
- If I can offer you just one tip for making this recipe, it is to make your own sofrito! There are some good store-bought options, but it's so easy to make that you won't regret it. You can make it in about five minutes (and while the chicken is cooking).
-
- If you've ever made stock using a whole chicken, you already know what a difference it makes in taste. There are two more benefits to using a whole chicken: whole chicken is the cheapest way to buy chicken, and there is no waste.
-
- Some people may prefer to avoid the Sazon Goya seasoning packets. While we prefer this recipe with the extra flavor it brings, we have made it without in a pinch, and the recipe was still flavorful.
FAQs
Can I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts? The short answer is yes, but you must make some modifications. If your goal for using chicken breasts is to cook everything in the pot at once, I'll tell you why I don't recommend that here. Rice has a specific cooking time. Neither one of those times is ideal for cooking chicken breasts. So I would suggest cooking them separately - either in broth in the pot for 7 minutes at high pressure with quick release OR bake in the oven at 425F for 25-30 minutes. For the rice portion, you'll want 7 cups of store-bought broth in the pot, and follow the recipe as written from that point forward. You want an extra cup of broth than what's listed because we're compensating for about a cup of water that would usually cook out of the chicken. Can I use a rotisserie chicken? Yes. But instead of starting with 6 cups of water, add 7 cups of store-bought chicken broth to the pot. Then, follow the recipe as written. You want an extra cup of broth than what's listed because we're compensating for about a cup of water that usually cooks out of the chicken. Can I use frozen chicken? While I always recommend using fresh or thawed chicken, this recipe will work with frozen chicken. The cooking time will remain the same. How long will leftovers last? Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.Nutrition
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Susan Couch
The nutritional information seems incorrect. Is it really 35 grams of fat per serving?
Chef Gary
Hi Susan. Due to the nature of recipe nutrition calculators, all nutrition info is an approximation. It looks like our recipe calculator pulled the fat content of the skin of the chicken too, despite the fact that the skin is removed. When entering the information into the nutrition calculator at MyFitnessPal.com specifying a "skinless" whole chicken, it calculates as 22 grams of fat per serving (again, this is an approximation):
calories 475
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 22 g 34 %
Saturated Fat 7 g 34 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 100 mg 33 %
Sodium 2403 mg 100 %
Potassium 246 mg 7 %
Total Carbohydrate 28 g 9 %
Dietary Fiber 4 g 16 %
Sugars 1 g
Protein 51 g 101 %
Vitamin A 15 %
Vitamin C 48 %
Calcium 7 %
Iron 20 %
Tanya
How long would it take for brown rice? Thanks!
Chef Gary
I'm not completely sure with this particular method, but I think somewhere around 15 minutes at high pressure with a quick-pressure release. Again, I have not tested that, but it should be somewhere close.
Karen
Can I substitute sofrito to save time? If so how much sofrito should I add?
Chef Gary
That’s a great question. And I don’t have the answer.
Nelson Bracero
Karen, the blending of all the produce items along with the cilantro IS the "Sofrito". Homemade from scratch, and better than store bought.
Lee Loo
Recipe looks fabulous. Do you use instant rice? My rice takes 12 minutes in the Instant Pot, not 3 minutes. Thanks.
Chef Gary
No, I don’t use instant rice. Correct me if I’m wrong, but rice cooks for 12 minutes under low pressure. This recipe is for 3 minutes at high pressure. Should work perfectly for you.
ashley cannon
I cook white rice uber pressure for 3 monies with a10 minute npr. Perfect every time.
Lorna Mandell
I’m not familiar with Sazon Goya packets. Is it like chicken bouillon?
Chef Gary
No, it's seasoning often used in Latino cuisine.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NAHBW9H/ref=sxts_kp_bs_lp_1_a_it?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=8778bc68-27e7-403f-8460-de48b6e788fb&pd_rd_wg=gtIU5&pf_rd_r=H3JJ91FC5SSXKZA3NGHA&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-top-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B01NAHBW9H&pd_rd_w=tnsUL&pf_rd_i=sazon+goya&pd_rd_r=57270f67-246d-427e-b7f6-47e5982eb178&ie=UTF8&qid=1536257298&sr=1
Donna
Can you add Mexican cheese to this if so when would you add it.
Gary White
I've never added cheese to this dish, but my guess is that you would add it at the end once everything is already cooked.
Maritza Maldonado-Cupeles
Looks good! I'm trying today! I'll let you know how it turned out.
Chef Gary
Looking forward to hearing about it!
jacquie
I just made this and it is absolutely delicious! My favorite thing I have ever made in the pot. I didn't do the chicken in the pot this time because I had a rotisserie that needed to be eaten, so I added the water, added some bouillon and the adobo seasoning, put it on saute and let that meld together and then did the rest of the steps. At the end, I threw the rotisserie chicken in (i had slightly warmed it in the microwave with some water), stirred well and kept on keep warm for a little bit.
Wendy Platamone
Did you use all the water called for when you made with leftover chicken?
Gary White
Yes.
Terry
Making this for the 3rd time. The family loves it ! The instapot is great for this dish and quick to.
Shannon
Hello,
I’m still new to IP cooking. I know some recipe say you can use a frozen protein. Can I use a frozen chicken with the same amount of time?
Gary White
Yes, it will work for this recipe. Not all recipes though.
Mindi
I made this for the first time for our church dinner yesterday. It was a hit. Everyone loved it. My hubby gave it a big thumbs up too. He finished it off. Will definitely be making it more often.
Shannon
Ok,one other question. When buying the Savon Goya packets, is there a particular flavor seasoning packet I should get? There seem to be quite a few flavor combinations.
Gary White
I'm not overly familiar with all the different flavors. I would just get the one that seems regular.
Travis
Fantastic! Loved all the different flavors in the dish. Definitely going to be making this again.
Denise Hill
Made this yesterday and it was really good! Easy to follow instructions. However, I have a ton of it left over. Can this be frozen and reheated later?
Gary White
Unfortunately rice does not freeze well. While you can freeze it, the rice will be mushy upon defrosting and reheating.
Angii Kaiser
Wonderful recipe with loads of flavor. I altered the recipe a little, and ended up with mushy rice but I I think that was my fault. I deleted the capers and used chicken pulled from two rotisserie chickens. Then instead of long grain rice, I used 3 cups basmati rice. Due to the change in the rice, I reduced the liquid (I used chicken and vegetable broth) to 1 3/4 cups per 1 cup of rice, as that is what the package indicated. I think the mushy rice came in when I forgot to put in the olives and cancelled the heat up process on the instant pot (before the timer started) so that I could add the olives and then started it over. I think this allowed the rice to heat/cook too long. Of course, I am new to instant pot cooking so maybe it was the change in the rice. Either way, mushy rice and all, we were all thrilled with the recipe itself! Great job Gary and Rachel!!!
Gary White
It was most likely canceling that caused the mushy rice. The liquid in the pot will begin to boil before as it starts to build to pressure. So, even if you cancel before it starts counting down, it has already begun to cook at that time. Glad you still enjoyed it!
Tamie
Can I use chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken? And if so how long would I cook the chicken for? Thanks. Recipe looks delicious!
Gary White
The real magic of this recipe comes from making the homemade stock with the whole chicken. You definitely will not achieve the same flavor with store-bought broth and boneless skinless chicken breasts. They just don't have much flavor.
Mae
Made this yesterday and it was fantastic. Tastes even better than my Abuela's recipe (just don't tell her that)
Isabel
I made this recipe yesterday and it turned out great. My family loved it! I have to confess that I altered the recipe a bit. I added cumin, and instead of adding a packet of culantro and annatto season, I added one with saffron. The rice turned out mushy, so I doubled the amount of time. All in all, this recipe is a keeper.
Tammi
My Mexican in-laws definitely approved. This was a hit and I've already been told I will be making it again.
Josie
looks fab and I will make this also.
Sabrina
Made this dish in my Emeril Lagasse Pressure Cooker! Some of the times were different and I cut the recipe down. It was delicious!
Anita
This is amazing! I used a store bought rotisserie chicken to save time and thus, possibly not enough chicken stock as the instant pot kept trying to alarm "burn". Nonetheless, the rice was basically done at that point, so just poured it into a normal pot, and finished cooking a bit. Totally delicious ever still and prep mostly in the food processor--win win!! Bought the seasonings on Amazon.com easy peasy! Thank you for sharing!
Anita
I have now made this again (and again, and again) most recently as a vegan version with canned jackfruit instead of chicken, that I "stewed" in water, adobo seasoning and white wine, then shredded (looks and tastes like seasoned chicken!). Followed rest of recipe including use of the jackfruit "broth" and added peas.! Was yet again a hit at work and even fooled a few omnivores ; ) Love this recipe, still!
Amanda Becerra
Super easy and inexpensive. I used chicken thighs. We ate it as a meal with hot salsa, a squeeze if fresh lime, cheese, and a dolp of sour cream. Would be great in a burrito. I am from Tampa and this hit the spot! We had lots left over and would be great for meal prep or large gatherings.
Carol
I did this recipe and it came out soggy. The tomato mixture came out to be more than 2 cups but I only used two cups. I'm also using a Ninja Foodi pressure cooker, not sure if that matters. Trying it again today with 4-5 cups of water. I'll take out 1-2 cups of broth after the chicken cooks.
Tammi
Great recipe. Toddler and judgy mother-in-law approved. Husband asked to add this to future rotations.
Tara
One bite took me right back to my abuelitas kitchen. This recipe is amazing, can't thank you enough for sharing.
Ashley
This is a staple recipe in our home now. It’s easy and delicious. We have it almost once a week and leftovers barely last. The only thing I alter with the recipe is instead of the tomato I use a can of diced fire roasted tomatoes.
Michaela
So tasty! Followed the recipe exactly and it was the Bomb! Thank you!
Marie
I would like to use valencia rice. Would that affect cooking time?
Gary White
Valencia rice is short grain so it will definitely cook differently. Unfortunately, I don't have experience cooking with it so I cannot advise.
Elcee
The flavor of this dish is fantastic! I'd prefer a different rice consistency though since mine turned out a bit soggy. Perhaps I had too much liquid? I had a 5 lb chicken but still used the 6 cups of water called for. Will definitely try this again but will need to research and tweak the rice to water ratio.
Jamie
How can i make this for two?
Gary White
That's a tricky one since the recipe is written for using a whole chicken.
Andrea Perez
Question, how many cups do I put in the rice? Last time I made this it came out soggy!
Gary White
3 cups long-grain white rice.
Tam
Tastes delicious. But I have a question. The liquid wasn't completely absorbed. So it came out soupy. What did I do wrong? I would like to make it again.
Cristy Branning
Which Sazón Goya there’s several different varieties of it ?
Gary White
I'm not sure that it really matters, but that may not be true at all. I have used them all and like them.
Shelly V
My Puerto Rican family loves this recipe and so do I. So fresh, flavorful, and easy w instapot. Reminds us of our fav arroz con pollo from Costa Rican Soda.
Anita
This is delicious every time and I have made this several times over the past few years! After having difficulty with burning warnings in my instant pot the first time, I've since modified this just a bit to make on the stove instead and with store-bought rotisserie chicken! YUM!! Huge hit at work as well... more than once! Thank you for sharing!
Anita
Oops! Just realized I've commented on this more than once before already ha! Inadvertent! But it is THAT good 🙂
Emma
My rice came out a little watery