100% Authentic Arroz con Pollo Costa Rica
This arroz con pollo Costa Rica combines traditional Costa Rican white rice, shredded chicken and traditional Costa Rican spices to make what is arguably one of Costa Rica’s most popular dishes.
About Costa Rican Arroz con Pollo
Ok so for you non-Spanish speakers out there, arroz con pollo is Spanish for “chicken with rice.” You might be picturing some white rice with chicken pieces next to it- and that is definitely not what chicken and rice is in Latin America.
Traditional Latin American arroz con pollo is a gorgeously colored dish that looks similar to Asian fried rice- except with chicken too! We color the rice with achiote and add cooked shredded chicken.
Then, we flavor everything with spices- salt and pepper (black pepper), garlic cloves (or garlic powder), onion, cilantro, and red or green bell pepper. Finally, we add mixed vegetables for a fun pop of color.
I love to make sure my chicken is cooked in homemade chicken broth (with my secret ingredient) and cook my rice in it. And of course in Costa Rica, we use Salsa Lizano as the main flavoring ingredient in our chicken and rice.
This chicken and rice dish is on every menu and can be found at almost any celebration. Arroz con pollo is such a common dish that ticos have dubbed it arroz con siempre (rice with always). Because we literally have it at every party!
Related post: 30+ Foods To Try In Costa Rica
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve arrived at a party to see a huge cooler lined with tin foil and stuffed to the brim with Costa Rican chicken and rice. Whoever made the dish gets bragging rights, and all the women crowd around with styrofoam plates and plastic utensils and start to serve guests.
The colorful rice is served with ensalada verde– a fresh salad with lettuce, tomato, and lime juice, and everything is topped with potato chips. No party is complete without Coca-Cola, Imperial Beer, or some fresh juice like tamarindo, pineapple, mango, passion fruit, starfruit, or blackberry.
You might also like:
- Arroz con camarones (Costa Rican shrimp and rice)
- Arroz cantones (Costa Rican Cantonese fried rice)
- Arroz a la jardinera (Costa Rican red rice)
Arroz con Pollo Costa Rica Recipe
(Printable recipe below)
Ingredients
- cooked white rice
- achiote
- Salsa Lizano
chicken stock
salt
vegetable oil
rotisserie chicken or shredded chicken
frozen mixed vegetables
cilantro
red bell pepper
celery
white or yellow onion
garlic cloves
ketchup
soy sauce
Instructions
Start by preparing the rice in the rice cooker. You will prepare the rice using our prepare the rice using our Costa Rican white rice recipe– but use chicken broth instead of water.
Before covering the rice to cook, add your 3 TB achiote. (See notes) While the rice is cooking, make your sofrito.
To make the sofrito, you will do the following. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil on medium-high heat.
Once heated, add the cilantro, red bell pepper, celery, onion, and garlic and cook until soft and translucent. This is your sofrito.
Add the cooked, shredded chicken to the pan and stir until the chicken is coated in the sofrito.
By this time, the rice should be cooked. Add all of the rice to the skillet and begin to mix everything together.
This is where you will add your ketchup, soy sauce, and Salsa Lizano to the arroz con pollo. I add them one at a time in a circle on the pan, stirring after each addition until the sauces are evenly mixed in.
I do find that using the rice paddle from the cooker is the best way to do this.
After the sauces have been added, mix in the mixed vegetables. They can be canned or frozen- I use frozen.
Taste everything to make sure that the arroz con pollo has the right amount to salt.
You can adjust the flavor by adding salt, sauces, or a little water if the flavor is too strong.
Heat thoroughly, and serve with ensalada verde and potato chips or French fries.
Notes
**Achiote is a colorant commonly used in Latin cooking to make food look beautiful. It is by far my favorite kitchen secret and Los Patitos is the best brand in Costa Rica.
*Salsa Lizano is a traditional Costa Rican sauce that is used in most dishes to create a distinctly Costa Rican flavor. Learn more about Salsa Lizano here.
Serving Suggestions
We serve arroz con pollo with a traditional green salad (ensalada verde) and papas.
This papas thing gets confusing though. Some people in Costa Rica refer to papas as French fries, and others refer to them as potato chips. I love French fries and hate potato chips so here’s what to expect.
If you are going to a party or to eat at someone’s house, you will eat Costa Rican chicken and rice with potato chips. If you are in a restaurant, you will usually get French fries, but not always. So make sure to ask.
Substitutions
You can substitute homemade chicken stock for boxed broth.
You can use a rotisserie chicken instead of shredded chicken. You can also just use shredded chicken breasts.
You can use brown rice instead of white.
Some people say you can substitute Worcestershire sauce in place of the Salsa Lizano. I think it works… ok? But not really great.
I sometimes use frozen mixed vegetables in place of the canned veggies- just get the ones with the green beans. I also often double the number of veggies.
Related post: Costa Rican Casado
Variations
There aren’t a ton of variations on the traditional Costa Rican arroz con pollo. The dish does, however, have its own version for almost every single other Latin American country- and they are all delicious!
FAQ
Is arroz con pollo healthy?
Um- no? HAHA. Seriously though, I would say not really. A lot of people (like me!) don’t process white rice very well, and it just makes us gain weight. So at least I have to be careful with arroz con pollo.
That said- it isn’t fried. There’s no added sugar, and you don’t use canned or processed food. So on the scale of unhealthy foods, it’s probably not that high either.
You can lighten it up though. Some people make arroz con pollo with brown rice instead of white and use only white meat. If you wanted to make your arroz con pollo healthier, what I would do is cut in half the amount of rice and then double or triple the number of vegetables. And be prepared for any Latino worth his salt to fully turn up their nose at your dish. (Just sayin’!)
Printable Recipe
Arroz con Pollo Costa Rica
This arroz con pollo from Costa Rica combines traditional Costa Rican white rice, shredded chicken and traditional Costa Rican spices to make what is arguably one of Costa Rica's most popular dishes.
Ingredients
- 4 C long-grain white rice
- 32 oz chicken stock/broth or water
- 3 TB achiote (see notes)
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 TB vegetable oil
- 1 rotisserie chicken, deboned and shredded
- 1 can of mixed vegetables drained
- 1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped with stems
- 1/2 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 stalk of celery chopped finely (optional)
- 1 small white or yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed
- 3 TB ketchup
- 3 TB soy sauce
- 3 TB Salsa Lizano (see notes)
Instructions
- Start by preparing the rice in the rice cooker. You will prepare the rice using our prepare the rice using our Costa Rican white rice recipe- but use chicken broth instead of water.
- Before covering the rice to cook, add your 3 TB achiote. (See notes)
- While the rice is cooking, make your sofrito. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil on medium-high heat.
- Once heated, add the cilantro, red bell pepper, onion, and garlic and cook until soft and translucent. This is your sofrito.
- Add the chicken to the pan and stir until the chicken is coated in the sofrito.
- By this time, the rice should be cooked. Add all of the rice to the skillet and begin to mix everything together.
- This is where you will add your ketchup, soy sauce, and Salsa Lizano to the arroz con pollo. I add them one at a time in a circle on the pan, stirring after each addition until the sauces are evenly mixed in. I do find that using the rice paddle from the cooker is the best way to do this.
- After the sauces have been added, mix in the mixed vegetables. Taste everything to make sure that the arroz con pollo has the right amount to salt. You can adjust the flavor by adding salt, the sauces, or a little water if the flavor is too strong.
- Heat thoroughly, and serve with ensalada verde and potato chips or French fries.
Notes
**Achiote is a colorant commonly used in Latin cooking to make the food look beautiful. It is by far my favorite kitchen secret and Los Patitos is the best brand in Costa Rica. You can find where to buy it in the recommended products below.
*Salsa Lizano is a traditional Costa Rican sauce that is used in most dishes to create a distinctly Costa Rican flavor. Learn more about Salsa Lizano here.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 280Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 1220mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 17g
Please double-check this information with your favorite nutrition calculator.
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Meet Christa
I’m Christa and I help families plan stress-free, culturally immersive trips to Costa Rica. As a home chef, I also share my passion for Costa Rican food through authentic recipes. My mission is to help your family fall in love with Costa Rica through practical advice, unforgettable experiences, and delicious meals.
I like the rice dish and speccially chicken Admin Thanks
Yum!! Look like wonderful comfort food. Love me some chicken any day!
Martha, yep, total comfort food! ~Christa
COVID-19 prevented us from taking a family trip to Costa Rica so I’ve enjoyed cooking these Pura Vida Moms’ recipes instead. I made Salsa Lizano from scratch because my local grocery store didn’t stock it. We love it. I also made the Beef Carne Asada with the marinade. Yummy! I hope next summer we can go try the local versions! Que rico!
Not getting to go this year has been brutal! I am so glad you have enjoyed the recipes- cooking food from home is definitely getting us through not being able to travel! A weird fact- I usually find Lizano at local hardware stores like Ace or True Value. So next time you need a lightbulb, check the food aisle and see what you find! Pura vida! ~Christa
I offered tours over Zoom, especially when California was suffering from bad air quality due to fires. We had to stay indoors AND not congregate indoors. We “visited” 2 animal sanctuaries, a cacao farm, and the Sloth Sanctuary in Limon. I’m looking forward to returning maybe this November, but for sure by February!
Thanks for the recipe. I’m going to be hosting Costa Rica Night party in my backyard in August to get folks amped up for the Costa Rica trips.
I usually offer a Spanish Immersion Program every Summer in Costa Rica (where I served in US Peace Corps). We are able to offer the program next year, so I am hosting a Costa Rica Night in my backyard to celebrate and I plan to serve arroz con pollo. I was happy to find this recipe with the brilliant idea of using rotisserie chicken. I can get one at Costco for $4.99. I was also able to find the Salsa Lizano for $6.98 on Walmart.com, so that’s good enough for me.
This is the next way we will bring trying rice!
Evelyne, I hope that you love it as much as we do! ~Christa
Oh my gosh, I was looking for a recipe just like this. My dad loves this dish and I have never been able to make it. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe I can’t wait to give it a try
Theresa
YUM! This looks so good- can not wait to make it!
It looks super yummy!
Amaia, thanks for stopping by! ~Christa
This rice dish looks fabulous! How fun to learn how to make authentic Costa Rican dishes.
Susan, learning to make these dishes has been so fun! Hope you can check out a few more of the recipes! ~Christa
I’m always looking for new ways to make rice. Thanks for this.
Rosemary, you are very welcome! ~Christa
This looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it!
Duane I hope you love it! ~Christa
So yummmmm!!! Looks delish!
Carolyn thanks so much for stopping by! ~Christa
That looks so yummy, and easier than I expected. Hubby will be thrilled with a new dinner option. :)
Sheila, for sure- I definitely made a 4 hours production into a weeknight recipe. And it’s budget friendly-too. Hope your husband liked it! ~Christa
My boys love anything chicken and rice and I know this dinner would be a hit! Hugs, Holly
Hi Holly, thanks for stopping by. Hope you get to try it soon! ~Christa
Oh my goodness – my good friend is Cuban and I force her to make this for me at least once a month. Ha! Love the recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Barbara, so funny! Now maybe you can make it for her… and get her ropa vieja recipe for me! Thanks for stopping by! ~Christa
This looks delicious! Yum.
Thanks for stopping by, Maddie!
Thanks for the recipe. It looks very delicious. Best wishes for fall. Linda
Thanks Linda, you too!
This looks so good! I’m a vegetarian but I would def make this minus the chicken! My mouth is currently watering!
Ashlee it could be great with veggie stock and no chicken. If you make it, please let me know how it turns out!
This looks so delicious! I can’t wait to try it.
Hope you love it Leanne!
This looks so yummy!
Thanks Michelle! It’s a favorite here!
Especially helpful, looking onward to visiting again
Just wondering what alterations i need to make if i dont have a rice maker?
Hi Amanda! Thanks for stopping by! That’s a great question… I would make the rice exactly the same but stovetop. (You could even use Minute Rice although a true Costa Rican would never stand for that!) I love the tutorials at The Kitchn, and here is a link to a good post they have for making rice on the stove: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-rice-on-the-stove-44333 PLEASE let me know how it turns out! ~Christa
I’m making this for the weekend, I bet everyone is going to devour it!
You will love it! Let me know how it turns out. Pura Vida!
Great recipe- really the flavors of Costa Rica came through. I used chicken breasts (boiled and shredded) because that’s what I had on hand. This made a LOT of arroz con pollo (plenty of leftovers).
I am so glad! We use chicken breasts often too. Pura vida! ~Christa
You say it doesn’t use canned or processed foods, but a can of mixed vegetables is one of the ingredients. What vegetables are traditional to use, so those of us who would prefer to include fresh veggies can get it right?
Hi Sully! I should probably take that phrase out- whoops! Especially since the recipe calls for Salsa Lizano which is also processed. And ketchup. Oy! The traditional veggies are carrots, green beans and corn. So you could just boil carrot pieces, cut green beans into smaller pieces and cook them, and get a fresh ear of corn on the cob and cook it and then pull the kernels off. I am sure there are places in Costa Rica that do that. However- I just use the frozen mixed veggies from Bird’s Eye to save time! ;). Thanks for commenting and please let me know how it turns out!
Hi Christa! Hope you are all ok during this crazy year! I am so happy you popped up when I was looking for a new arroz con pollo recipe. Great SEO skills! We are in NYC right now but can’t wait to get home to CR. Of course I am going to take a few of your tips and then go to my kitchen and just wing it, and hope it comes out OK to eat, but thanks for the help!!! (i.e. the ketchup, chicken stock and saffron). xoxox to everyone! And if there are any other moms/dads reading this a thinking of a move to CR – go for it!
Hi Kim! I am so glad you commented- and thanks for the props on the SEO. Man am I working it hard! Was in CR last week- it rained the whole time. But now- I’m a resident! Let me know how your arroz comes out! Pura vida- Christa
Hi Christa! Can’t wait to make this as I miss CR so much! Is it ok to make the rice ahead of time, like the day before or use leftover rice? Thanks!
Hi Deborah! I am so glad this is helpful. YES! You can absolutely do that. I do it all the time. Pura vida! Christa
[…] Ready to try a taste of Costa Rica in your own home? Try Pura Vida Mom’s arroz con pollo with chicken recipe. […]
In the video the achiote is added to the pan but the recipe says to put it in the rice cooler when cooking the rice? I’m confused
Oh man! Well clearly I do it both ways- I don’t think you can go wrong either way. Pura vida!
~Christa
My aunt in Costa Rica, who was a very good cook, used to add a tiny bit of raisins and prunes to her arroz con pollo. It’s a yummy variation. So glad I found your website!
Really? I’ve never heard of this but now I have to try it!
This recipe is the REAL DEAL. It took me right back to the year and a half I lived in Costa Rica. Thank you! Thank you! a question… The Achiote I have is like a heavy paste in a block. 3Tbls of that is too much! What do you suggest?
Hi Christa!
We just got back from another trip to Costa Rica last month and I was searching for a recipe to bring arroz con pollo to our next family gathering. I found achiote paste online; is this different from the item mentioned in the recipe? If you have any tips for using the paste, please let me know. Thank you for a great website!
Hi Deb! The achiote paste you found will work just fine. You just have to keep stirring until it all melts into the rice and makes an even coloring. Other than that- you should be good to go! Let me know how it turns out! Pura Vida! ~Christa
This recipe is good. However, my family is Costa Rican and in addition to the ingredients listed, we include capers, green olives and golden raisins. The sweetness of the raisins takes this dish to an out of this world level. Try it. I promise you will love it.
What a fun regional addition. Will definitely try! Pura vida! ~Christa
Hi! Thank you for this recipe I can’t wait to try it! I’m Costa Rican but I live in the US and traditionally Arroz con pollo can also be served with refried black beans and “ensalada rusa” or beet potato salad!
Saludos!
Yum! We always eat it with French Fries and a cabbage salad. I love how, even though Costa Rica is so tiny, there are so many regional variations of everything. What part of CR are you from? Pura vida! ~Christa
This is a really good recipe w/the exception of the 3 TB achiote – is that a typo? I had to throw out the first batch of rice, way too much achiote. The 2nd batch of rice I only used 1 tsp and it was perfect.
Well my husband does love achiote so I bet I am pretty heavy handed with it. But I’ll make a note in the recipe based on this! Thanks for commenting! ~Christa
Hello we absolutely loved this dish in Costa Rica and I am excited to cook this. I purchased all the ingredients but have one question. Does it call for 4 cups of uncooked rice or 4 cups of cooked rice (2 cups of uncooked rice)? Thanks!
I am so excited you are making this! Good question and I should probably clarify this in the recipe. But it is uncooked. Let me know how it turns out! ~Christa