Arroz Con Pollo, Lightened Up

Arroz con pollo, or chicken and rice is the ultimate one dish meal for my family. So many people ask me about my favorite dishes I make at home for my family, well this is certainly one of them! We like to serve this with hot sauce or Colombian aji picante and a simple green salad on the side.

I make many versions of this dish depending on my mood or what's in my refrigerator, in fact you may have tried my Mom's recipe, if so, I know you're going to love my version!

For some variations, you can add olives, use a few threads of saffron instead of the sazon, or use boneless chicken breast. So there you have it, go get some hot sauce and dig in!


Arroz Con Pollo, Lightened Up
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 8 • Size: 1 cup rice 1 thigh • Old Points: 7 pts • Points+: 8 pts
Calories: 311.1 • Fat: 4.6 g • Protein: 17.9 g • Carb: 48 g • Fiber: 0.6 g   

• 8 skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1/2 packet sazon (I like Badia Sazon Tropical, Goya Sazon would work)
• about 1/2 tsp adobo powder
• about 1/2 garlic powder
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 3 cloves garlic
• 5 scallions
• 2 tbsp bell pepper
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups enriched long grain rice
• 4 cups water
• 1 chicken bouillon
• 1 packet Sazon Tropical (or Goya)
• salt

Season chicken with vinegar, sazon, adobo and garlic powder and let it sit 10 minutes. Heat a large deep heavy skillet on medium, add oil when hot. Add chicken and brown 5 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside.

Place onion, cilantro, garlic, scallions and pepper in mini food processor. Add 1 tsp olive oil to the skillet and sauté on medium-low until soft, about 3 minutes. Add tomato, cook another minute. Add rice, mix well and cook another minute. Add water, bouillon (be sure it dissolves well) and sazon, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Taste for salt, should taste salty enough to suit your taste, add more as needed.

Add chicken and nestle into rice, bring to a boil. Simmer on medium-low until most of the water evaporates and you see the liquid bubbling at the top of the rice line, then reduce heat to low heat and cover. Make sure the lid has a good seal, no steam should escape (You could place a piece of tin foil in between the lid and the pot if steam escapes).

Cook 20 minutes without opening the lid. Shut heat off and let it sit with the lid on an additional 10 minutes (don't peak!!!) Fluff with a fork and eat!