Name: Pollo en Salsa de Tomate sobre Arroz Blanco
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Yield: 3 servings
Ingredients: 4 boneless, skin-on or skinless chicken thighs (or 2–3 chicken breasts), about 1–1.2 kg total; 1 cup (200 g) long-grain white rice; 2 cups (480 ml) water or low-sodium chicken broth (for the rice); 2 tbsp olive oil (divided); 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 large tomatoes, diced (or 1 can 14 oz/400 g diced tomatoes); 1 tsp smoked or sweet paprika; 0.5 tsp dried oregano (or a sprig of fresh thyme); 0.5 cup (120 ml) chicken broth or water (for the sauce); 0 Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 0 Pinch of sugar (optional, to balance acidity); 0 Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped, for garnish; 0 Lemon wedges, to serve (optional)

1

Start the rice: rinse 1 cup rice under cold water until the water runs clear. In a small pot, bring 2 cups water or broth to a boil, add a pinch of salt and the rice, reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook 15–18 minutes until tender. Keep covered and let rest while you make the pollo — perfect timing, dear.

2

Season the chicken: pat the pieces dry and season both sides generously with salt, pepper and the paprika. The paprika gives warmth and color — don’t be shy.

3

Brown the chicken: heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken (skin-side down if using skin-on) and brown 4–5 minutes per side until golden — we aren’t fully cooking through, just building flavor. Transfer to a plate.

4

Make the sauce base: lower heat to medium, add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the skillet. Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt; sauté 4–5 minutes until soft and slightly golden. Stir in the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

5

Add tomatoes and seasoning: add the diced tomatoes (or canned tomatoes), oregano, and 1/2 cup broth. Scrape up any browned bits from the pan — that’s pure flavor. Taste and add a pinch of sugar if the tomatoes are too tart. Simmer 4–5 minutes until sauce slightly thickens.

6

Simmer the chicken in sauce: nestle the browned chicken pieces back into the skillet, skin-side up. Spoon sauce over them, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 12–15 minutes (depending on thickness) until chicken is cooked through (internal temp 74°C/165°F) and sauce has melded.

7

Finish and rest: remove lid, spoon the sauce over the chicken, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If sauce is thin, uncover and simmer 2–3 minutes to reduce. Let the chicken rest 3 minutes off heat.

8

Serve: mound the fluffy rice on plates, place a piece of chicken on top or beside it, and spoon plenty of the tomato-garlic sauce over everything. Sprinkle with chopped parsley or cilantro and offer lemon wedges for a bright squeeze.

9

Tips from Grandma: for deeper flavor brown a little butter with the oil in step 3; add a splash of dry white wine with the broth if you like; leftover chicken is lovely shredded into rice for tomorrow’s lunch.

Pollo en Salsa de Tomate sobre Arroz Blanco

Comments

Try Our Chef AI

Ingredients

Instructions

More recipes you might like

Calm Warm Milk & Soft Baked Apple

Low-Fiber Cottage Cheese & Soft Melon

Steamed Cod & Zucchini Bites

Gentle Chicken & Carrot Puree with Toasted Crackers