Chicken and Rice (Instant Pot Arroz Con Pollo)
Instant Pot Arroz con Pollo - made in a fraction of the time. This Spanish version is infused with saffron and smoked paprika and full of amazing flavour! See notes for stove top version. Please read Cook's Notes: about the "Burn Error" before starting.
1½ lbs chicken thighs (whole, boneless, skinless)
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
1 tsp. smoked paprika
¼-½ tsp. saffron
2 Tbsp. warm water
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, diced or sliced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 carrot, diced
4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
1½ cup chicken stock or broth (varies depending on the rice you use)
¼ cup white wine
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. kosher salt
½-1 tsp. chili flakes
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes (fire-roasted are nice) with the juices
1 cup white rice, rinsed
¼ cup green olives, sliced
1-2 cups peas (frozen are fine, or sub shelled edamame)
a squeeze fresh lime
Optional Garnishes:
lime wedges
warm tortillas
queso fresco cheese
sour cream
avocado
fresh Italian parsley
Please read instructions all the way through first, including the NOTES, taking note of the type of rice being used -and be precise with measuring.
Season the whole chicken thighs, generously on all sides with salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Set aside. You could brown the top side in oil if you like (so they end up like photos) or just plop them in raw (they will still taste really good, but look a bit paler - totally fine if in a hurry).
In a small bowl, pour 2 Tbsp. warm water over the saffron threads, if using and let this steep. (If using Rumi Saffron, ¼ tsp. is enough.)
Heat oil in a 6 qt Instant Pot, using the "sauté" function. Add the onion and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring. Add the garlic, and cook for 2 more minutes, then add bell pepper and carrots and cook 2-3 minutes.
Add the saffron and its water, the chicken broth and wine to the instant pot, bring to a simmer, then using a wood spoon or spatula, scrap up any browned bits - getting into all those corners (this is absolutely imperative to preventing the burn error!!!).
Stir in the remaining spices and salt. Stir in the tomatoes and their juices.
Rinse the rice (important) and sprinkle it evenly over top - do not stir.
Place the seasoned chicken over top of the rice, nestling it in a bit.
Pressure cook on High for 10 minutes.
Naturally release, for 10 minutes.
Break the chicken apart with two forks, and stir in the olives and peas, covering on warm for just a few minutes until peas heat through.
Squeeze with lime and serve with the optional garnishes.
Cook's Notes:
RICE: If using a different kind of rice, you will need to adjust broth amount. Read rice to liquid ratio on the package of your rice, (considering liquid from tomatoes) and add more or less broth accordingly. So if your rice requires 2 cups of water per 1 cup of rice, you will need to add 2 cups broth (instead of the 1 ½ cup in the recipe). Different kinds of rice also require different cooking times. For example, brown rice takes 15 minutes of pressure cooking. Wild rice takes 25. If unsure how much liquid your type of rice needs, just google. Thinner, long grain rice won't work as well here and tends to get soggy or mushy.
I have not tried this with brown rice, but am guessing the brown rice would need ¼-½ cup more liquid and take 5 minutes longer to cook.
BURN ERRORS: I used a 6 qt instant pot, have tested this 4 times, with no burn errors using Jasmin rice and white basmati rice. With that being said, a few of you are still getting burn errors- and I believe it is because you are using a different kind of rice, with not enough liquid. So just make sure to read your rice package. Please leave any notes in the comments bellow for suggested ratios and times- for others to references. Thanks!!!
STOVE TOP VERSION: If making on the stovetop, follow same directions, but perhaps brown the thighs first before nestling into the rice. Bring to a simmer, cover, cook on low until rice is cooked through. (25-35 minutes).