[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":415},["ShallowReactive",2],{"recipe:cuban-arroz-con-pollo":3,"recipe:country:cuba":207},{"slug":4,"title":5,"nativeName":6,"pronunciation":7,"countrySlug":8,"region":9,"emoji":10,"summary":11,"intro":12,"story":13,"whyThis":14,"tips":19,"substitutions":26,"variations":39,"serveWith":49,"storage":51,"faq":52,"equipment":68,"baseServings":72,"prepMinutes":73,"cookMinutes":74,"restMinutes":75,"difficulty":76,"course":77,"diet":79,"mainIngredients":81,"ingredients":87,"instructions":156,"nutrition":182,"images":189,"keywords":199,"publishedAt":205,"updatedAt":205,"authorSlug":206},"cuban-arroz-con-pollo","Cuban Arroz con Pollo (Chicken and Yellow Rice a la Cubana)","Arroz con pollo a la cubana","ah-ROHS kohn POH-yoh","cuba","Havana","🍗","Bone-in chicken browned, then braised into rice stained gold with achiote and loosened with beer, finished under a lid with peas and strips of roasted red pepper.","Arroz con pollo is a one-pot braise where the rice matters as much as the chicken. Bone-in thighs are browned hard, sofrito is built in the same fat, and the rice goes in to swell in a broth coloured deep yellow-orange by achiote and loosened with a bottle of light beer, which is the Cuban signature and adds a faint malty bitterness that cuts the richness. The finished pan is savoury, faintly sweet from cooked pepper and peas, and the grains should sit separate but soft, each one carrying colour and chicken fat. Every Spanish-speaking country has a version; the Cuban one is wetter than a paella and drier than a soup, and it lands somewhere very comfortable in between.","Arroz con pollo travelled from Spain with rice itself, which the Moors introduced to the Iberian peninsula centuries before Spanish ships carried it across the Atlantic. The dish belongs to the same broad family as paella and arroz caldoso, and every Latin American country now cooks a version it considers definitive — Peruvian arroz con pollo is green with cilantro, the Puerto Rican version leans on sofrito with recao and achiote, the Dominican one browns its rice for the crust at the bottom. Arguing about which is best is a national sport in several places at once, and nobody wins.\n\nThe Cuban version is identified by three things. Bijol or achiote does the colouring work that saffron does in Spain, at a fraction of the price — a pragmatic swap that became a preference. Beer goes into the cooking liquid, usually a plain light lager, which is unusual enough among the regional variants to serve as a signature. And the pan is dressed before serving with strips of roasted red pepper, sometimes tinned pimientos, laid across the top with peas scattered around, a presentation that has barely changed in decades and reads instantly as Cuban.\n\nIt occupies a specific social slot on the island: the dish you cook when people are coming over but it is not a formal occasion. Big pan, everyone served from it, no separate side dishes required beyond a salad of tomato and avocado and a piece of bread. In Cuban restaurants abroad it is often the cheapest thing on the menu and the most reliable test of the kitchen, because there is nowhere to hide — undercooked rice, dry chicken or a pale, timid broth all show immediately.",[15,16,17,18],"Browning the chicken on the bone first builds the fond that flavours the whole pan of rice.","Beer and achiote together give the Cuban colour and the faint bitterness that separates this from a generic chicken rice.","Exact liquid ratio and a rest off the heat, so the grains finish separate instead of gummy.","One pan, one pot to wash, and it feeds six people without stretching.",[20,21,22,23,24,25],"Use bone-in, skin-on thighs and drumsticks. Breast meat dries out during the 20 minutes the rice needs and the bones are what enrich the broth.","Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then drain it well — surface starch is what makes arroz con pollo turn to porridge.","Once the rice goes in and the lid goes on, do not stir. Stirring releases starch and destroys the separate-grain texture.","If you cannot find bijol or achiote, half a teaspoon of turmeric plus a teaspoon of sweet paprika gives a very close colour.","Let the pan rest off the heat with the lid on for ten minutes before serving; the last of the liquid finishes absorbing in that time.","A light lager is right here — a hoppy IPA turns the whole pan bitter and a dark beer muddies the colour.",[27,31,35],{"original":28,"swap":29,"note":30},"Bijol or achiote powder","½ tsp turmeric plus 1 tsp sweet paprika","Colour is nearly identical. Achiote has a faint peppery-earthy note that the swap misses, but no one at the table will complain.",{"original":32,"swap":33,"note":34},"Light beer","An extra 250 ml chicken stock plus 1 tsp lime juice","Keeps the acidity balance. The malty edge is lost, which is a real difference but not a dealbreaker.",{"original":36,"swap":37,"note":38},"Roasted red pepper strips","Tinned pimientos, drained","These are what most Cuban home cooks actually use, and they are traditional rather than a shortcut.",[40,43,46],{"name":41,"description":42},"Arroz con pollo a la chorrera","The soupier Havana style: add 250 ml more liquid and serve it loose and wet, almost spoonable, straight from the pot.",{"name":44,"description":45},"With chorizo","Brown 100 g of sliced Spanish chorizo before the chicken and leave its red fat in the pan; the rice turns deeper orange and noticeably smokier.",{"name":47,"description":48},"Seafood swap","Replace the chicken with 500 g of large shrimp, added only for the final 5 minutes on top of the rice so they steam rather than overcook.",[50],"A simple salad of sliced tomato, avocado and onion in oil and vinegar, plus bread for the pan.","Refrigerate for up to 3 days in a covered container. Rice hardens as it chills, so reheat with 2 to 3 tablespoons of water or stock sprinkled over the top, covered, either in a low oven or in a pan over gentle heat until steaming through. Freezing is possible but the rice loses its bite and the peas go grey; if you plan to freeze, slightly undercook the rice. Do not leave cooked rice at room temperature for hours before refrigerating.",[53,56,59,62,65],{"question":54,"answer":55},"Why is there beer in Cuban arroz con pollo?","Beer is the Cuban signature in this dish. A light lager added to the cooking liquid contributes a faint malty bitterness that balances the fat from the chicken skin, and the alcohol cooks off entirely during the 20 minute braise. Other Latin American versions use stock, wine or coconut milk instead, which is one of the clearest ways to tell the regional versions apart.",{"question":57,"answer":58},"What is bijol and do I need it?","Bijol is a Cuban seasoning powder based on annatto, also sold as achiote, used to colour rice deep yellow-orange in place of expensive saffron. It is available in Latin American grocers and online. If you cannot get it, half a teaspoon of turmeric with a teaspoon of sweet paprika produces almost the same colour and a similar mild earthiness.",{"question":60,"answer":61},"Why did my rice turn out mushy?","Three usual causes: the rice was not rinsed, so surface starch glued the grains together; the pot was stirred after the lid went on, which releases more starch; or there was too much liquid for the pan. Rinse until the water runs clear, resist stirring, and measure the liquid rather than eyeballing it.",{"question":63,"answer":64},"Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?","You can, but it will be drier. Bone-in thighs and drumsticks stay juicy through the 20 minutes the rice needs and their bones enrich the broth. If you only have breast, cut it into large chunks, brown it, remove it, and return it to the pan for just the last 8 minutes of cooking.",{"question":66,"answer":67},"What size pan should I use?","A wide, heavy pan or shallow Dutch oven around 28 to 30 cm across with a tight lid. Width matters more than depth because the rice should sit in a layer roughly 3 cm deep, which lets it cook evenly. In a tall narrow pot the bottom overcooks while the top stays hard.",[69,70,71],"Wide heavy pan or shallow Dutch oven with a tight lid","Tongs","Fine sieve for rinsing rice",6,25,55,10,"medium",[78],"main",[80],"dairy-free",[82,83,84,85,86],"chicken","rice","bell-pepper","achiote","peas",[88,93,98,103,107,110,116,120,122,126,129,134,138,142,146,150,152],{"ref":82,"qty":89,"unit":90,"name":91,"group":92},1.2,"kg","bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin on","For the chicken",{"ref":94,"qty":95,"unit":96,"name":97,"group":92},"lime",1,"piece","lime, juiced",{"ref":99,"qty":100,"unit":101,"name":102,"group":92},"garlic",4,"clove","garlic, crushed to a paste with salt",{"ref":104,"qty":95,"unit":105,"name":106,"group":92},"cumin","tsp","ground cumin",{"ref":108,"qty":95,"unit":105,"name":109,"group":92},"oregano","dried oregano",{"ref":111,"qty":112,"unit":113,"name":114,"group":115},"olive-oil",3,"tbsp","olive oil","For the pan",{"ref":117,"qty":95,"unit":96,"name":118,"group":119},"onion","large onion, finely chopped","For the sofrito",{"ref":84,"qty":95,"unit":96,"name":121,"group":119},"green bell pepper, finely chopped",{"ref":123,"qty":124,"unit":113,"name":125,"group":119},"tomato-paste",2,"tomato paste",{"ref":127,"qty":124,"unit":96,"name":128,"group":119},"bay-leaf","bay leaves",{"ref":83,"qty":130,"unit":131,"name":132,"group":133},500,"g","medium or long grain white rice, rinsed and drained","For the rice",{"ref":85,"qty":135,"unit":105,"name":136,"note":137,"group":133},1.5,"bijol or achiote powder","or ½ tsp turmeric + 1 tsp sweet paprika",{"qty":139,"unit":140,"name":141,"group":133},330,"ml","light lager beer",{"ref":143,"qty":144,"unit":140,"name":145,"group":133},"stock",700,"chicken stock, hot",{"ref":86,"qty":147,"unit":131,"name":148,"group":149},150,"frozen peas","To finish",{"qty":124,"unit":96,"name":151,"group":149},"roasted red peppers or tinned pimientos, in strips",{"qty":153,"unit":154,"name":155,"group":149},null,"to taste","salt and black pepper",[157,161,166,170,173,176,179],{"title":158,"text":159,"timerSeconds":160},"Season the chicken","Toss the chicken pieces with the lime juice, garlic paste, cumin, oregano, 2 teaspoons of salt and plenty of black pepper. Leave at room temperature for 20 minutes, or refrigerate up to overnight for a deeper flavour.",1200,{"title":162,"text":163,"timerSeconds":164,"tip":165},"Brown the chicken","Heat the olive oil in a wide heavy pan over medium-high heat and lay the chicken in skin side down, in batches if needed. Leave it undisturbed for 6 to 7 minutes, until the skin is deep golden and releases from the pan on its own, then turn and brown the other side for 4 minutes. Lift the pieces onto a plate.",420,"If the skin sticks it is not ready. Wait another minute and it will let go by itself.",{"title":167,"text":168,"timerSeconds":169},"Build the sofrito","Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of fat. Add the chopped onion and green pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, scraping the browned bits off the base as they soften, until the vegetables are limp and translucent. Stir in the tomato paste and bay leaves and fry 2 minutes more, until the paste darkens.",600,{"title":171,"text":172},"Toast the rice","Add the drained rice and the achiote powder and stir for 2 minutes, until every grain is coated in orange fat and the rice smells faintly nutty. Do not let it colour beyond that.",{"title":174,"text":175},"Add liquid and the chicken","Pour in the beer and let it bubble for 1 minute, then add the hot stock and taste the liquid — it should be slightly saltier than you want the finished dish. Nestle the chicken pieces back in skin side up along with any juices from the plate.",{"title":177,"text":178,"timerSeconds":160},"Cover and cook","Bring to a strong simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover tightly and cook for 20 minutes without lifting the lid or stirring. The rice is done when the liquid is absorbed and small craters have opened across the surface.",{"title":180,"text":181,"timerSeconds":169},"Peas, peppers and rest","Scatter the frozen peas over the top, lay the roasted pepper strips across the pan, replace the lid and take it off the heat. Let it stand 10 minutes so the peas warm through and the last of the steam finishes the grains, then serve straight from the pan.",{"calories":183,"protein":184,"carbs":185,"fat":186,"fiber":100,"sodium":187,"estimated":188},620,38,71,19,890,true,[190,193,195,197],{"src":191,"alt":192},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fcuban-arroz-con-pollo\u002Fhero.jpg","Wide pan of golden yellow rice with browned chicken pieces, peas and red pepper strips on top",{"src":194,"alt":192},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fcuban-arroz-con-pollo\u002Fhero-16x9.jpg",{"src":196,"alt":192},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fcuban-arroz-con-pollo\u002Fhero-4x3.jpg",{"src":198,"alt":192},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fcuban-arroz-con-pollo\u002Fhero-1x1.jpg",[200,201,202,203,204,85],"arroz con pollo","cuban chicken rice","yellow rice","bijol","one pot chicken","2026-08-20","dishroute-kitchen",{"items":208,"total":75,"page":95,"limit":413,"hasMore":414},[209,216,244,267,290,312,334,352,374,393],{"slug":4,"title":5,"nativeName":6,"countrySlug":8,"region":9,"baseServings":72,"prepMinutes":73,"cookMinutes":74,"restMinutes":75,"difficulty":76,"course":210,"diet":211,"mainIngredients":212,"images":213,"keywords":215,"publishedAt":205,"updatedAt":205,"authorSlug":206},[78],[80],[82,83,84,85,86],[214],{"src":191,"alt":192},[200,201,202,203,204,85],{"slug":217,"title":218,"nativeName":219,"countrySlug":8,"region":220,"baseServings":221,"prepMinutes":73,"cookMinutes":222,"restMinutes":223,"difficulty":76,"course":224,"diet":226,"mainIngredients":229,"images":233,"keywords":237,"publishedAt":205,"updatedAt":205,"authorSlug":206},"cuban-flan","Flan Cubano (Condensed Milk Caramel Custard)","Flan cubano","Nationwide",8,60,480,[225],"dessert",[227,228],"vegetarian","gluten-free",[230,231,232],"condensed-milk","eggs","milk",[234],{"src":235,"alt":236},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fcuban-flan\u002Fhero.jpg","Turned-out Cuban flan with dark caramel running down the sides onto a rimmed plate",[238,239,240,241,242,243],"flan cubano","caramel custard","condensed milk dessert","cuban dessert","bain marie","flan",{"slug":245,"title":246,"nativeName":247,"countrySlug":8,"region":220,"baseServings":221,"prepMinutes":248,"cookMinutes":139,"restMinutes":249,"difficulty":250,"course":251,"diet":252,"mainIngredients":253,"images":256,"keywords":260,"publishedAt":205,"updatedAt":205,"authorSlug":206},"cuban-lechon-asado","Lechon Asado (Cuban Mojo Roast Pork Shoulder)","Lechón asado",30,40,"hard",[78],[228,80],[254,99,255,94,108],"pork-shoulder","orange",[257],{"src":258,"alt":259},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fcuban-lechon-asado\u002Fhero.jpg","Roasted Cuban pork shoulder with blistered crackling, partly pulled apart, with lime-soaked onion rings",[261,262,263,264,265,266],"lechon asado","mojo pork","cuban roast pork","sour orange marinade","nochebuena","pork shoulder",{"slug":268,"title":269,"nativeName":270,"countrySlug":8,"region":9,"baseServings":124,"prepMinutes":271,"cookMinutes":272,"difficulty":273,"course":274,"diet":276,"mainIngredients":278,"images":280,"keywords":284,"publishedAt":205,"updatedAt":205,"authorSlug":206},"mojito","Mojito (Cuban Rum, Lime and Mint Highball)","Mojito",5,0,"easy",[275],"drink",[227,277,228,80],"vegan",[94,279],"mint",[281],{"src":282,"alt":283},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fmojito\u002Fhero.jpg","Tall mojito glass packed with ice, mint sprigs and lime, beaded with condensation",[268,285,286,287,288,289],"cuban cocktail","white rum","mint and lime","havana","highball",{"slug":291,"title":292,"nativeName":293,"countrySlug":8,"region":220,"baseServings":72,"prepMinutes":294,"cookMinutes":295,"restMinutes":75,"difficulty":273,"course":296,"diet":298,"mainIngredients":299,"images":301,"keywords":305,"publishedAt":205,"updatedAt":205,"authorSlug":206},"moros-y-cristianos","Moros y Cristianos (Cuban Black Beans Cooked with Rice)","Moros y cristianos",15,100,[297],"side",[227,277,228,80],[300,83,99,104],"black-beans",[302],{"src":303,"alt":304},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fmoros-y-cristianos\u002Fhero.jpg","Bowl of Cuban moros y cristianos, grey-violet rice cooked with whole black beans",[306,307,308,309,310,311],"moros y cristianos","congri","black beans and rice","cuban side dish","vegan rice","bean broth",{"slug":313,"title":314,"nativeName":315,"countrySlug":8,"region":9,"baseServings":100,"prepMinutes":294,"cookMinutes":316,"difficulty":273,"course":317,"diet":318,"mainIngredients":319,"images":324,"keywords":328,"publishedAt":205,"updatedAt":205,"authorSlug":206},"cuban-picadillo","Picadillo a la Habanera (Beef with Olives and Raisins)","Picadillo a la habanera",35,[78],[228,80],[320,321,322,117,323],"ground-beef","olives","raisins","tomato",[325],{"src":326,"alt":327},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fcuban-picadillo\u002Fhero.jpg","Skillet of Cuban picadillo, ground beef in tomato sauce studded with green olives and raisins",[329,330,331,332,333,288],"picadillo","cuban ground beef","olives and raisins","sofrito","weeknight dinner",{"slug":335,"title":336,"nativeName":337,"countrySlug":8,"region":9,"baseServings":100,"prepMinutes":73,"cookMinutes":147,"difficulty":76,"course":338,"diet":339,"mainIngredients":340,"images":342,"keywords":346,"publishedAt":205,"updatedAt":205,"authorSlug":206},"cuban-ropa-vieja","Ropa Vieja (Cuban Shredded Beef in Pepper Sauce)","Ropa vieja",[78],[228,80],[341,84,123,117,321],"beef-chuck",[343],{"src":344,"alt":345},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fcuban-ropa-vieja\u002Fhero.jpg","Shredded beef ropa vieja in red pepper sauce with green olives, served over white rice",[347,348,349,332,350,351],"ropa vieja","cuban beef","shredded beef","flank steak","caribbean stew",{"slug":353,"title":354,"nativeName":355,"countrySlug":8,"region":356,"baseServings":100,"prepMinutes":294,"cookMinutes":75,"difficulty":273,"course":357,"diet":359,"mainIngredients":360,"images":363,"keywords":367,"publishedAt":205,"updatedAt":205,"authorSlug":206},"cuban-sandwich","Sandwich Cubano (Pressed Ham and Roast Pork Sandwich)","Sándwich cubano","Havana and Tampa",[358,78],"street-food",[],[254,361,362],"ham","butter",[364],{"src":365,"alt":366},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fcuban-sandwich\u002Fhero.jpg","Pressed Cuban sandwich cut on the diagonal showing roast pork, ham, melted cheese and pickles",[368,369,370,371,372,373],"cuban sandwich","sandwich cubano","pressed sandwich","roast pork","plancha","tampa",{"slug":375,"title":376,"nativeName":377,"countrySlug":8,"region":220,"baseServings":72,"prepMinutes":294,"cookMinutes":378,"difficulty":273,"course":379,"diet":381,"mainIngredients":382,"images":383,"keywords":387,"publishedAt":205,"updatedAt":205,"authorSlug":206},"cuban-black-bean-soup","Sopa de Frijoles Negros (Cuban Black Bean Soup)","Sopa de frijoles negros",105,[380],"soup",[227,277,228,80],[300,84,117,99,104],[384],{"src":385,"alt":386},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fcuban-black-bean-soup\u002Fhero.jpg","Bowl of dark Cuban black bean soup over white rice topped with raw chopped onion",[388,389,390,391,104,392],"black bean soup","frijoles negros","cuban soup","vegetarian beans","dried beans",{"slug":394,"title":395,"nativeName":396,"countrySlug":8,"region":220,"baseServings":100,"prepMinutes":294,"cookMinutes":73,"difficulty":273,"course":397,"diet":399,"mainIngredients":400,"images":402,"keywords":406,"publishedAt":205,"updatedAt":205,"authorSlug":206},"cuban-tostones","Tostones (Cuban Twice-Fried Green Plantains)","Tostones",[398,297],"snack",[227,277,228,80],[401,99,94],"plantain",[403],{"src":404,"alt":405},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fcuban-tostones\u002Fhero.jpg","Golden twice-fried plantain rounds with crisp cracked edges beside a bowl of garlic mojo",[407,408,409,410,411,412],"tostones","green plantain","twice fried","patacones","garlic mojo","cuban snack",24,false,1787360067738]