:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/simply-recipes-arroz-caldo-lead-3-2f54dd82b469432a9b644ea012cf2dbd.jpg)
When we were kids and one of us got a cold, a tummy ache, or simply did not feel well, my mother immediately whipped up a stockpot of arroz caldo with chicken. The warm bowl of thick, mushy rice grains, full of the healing powers of ginger, chicken broth, and Mom’s love, was enough to make us feel better. Now I do the same for my family when anyone is under the weather.
Arroz caldo isn’t just for sick days, though. Growing up in the Philippines, as my family gathered for the holidays, arroz caldo was always simmering in a large cauldron, ready to be served after the traditional midnight mass on Christmas Eve. After the church service, my mother would serve us warm bowls of arroz caldo served alongside roast ham, slices of queso de bola (Edam cheese), and fresh fruits for our Noche Buena celebration.
What Is Arroz Caldo?
Arroz caldo with chicken is a Filipino rice porridge that’s cooked in one pot with bone-in chicken cuts, all simmered in stock that’s flavored with garlic, fresh ginger, onions, and scallions. Arroz caldo is equally welcome as a cure-all, healing soup if one is ill and as an afternoon snack to tide one over until dinner. It is also ideal served as a starter or as a side for everyday meals.
Simply Recipes / Photo by Rachel Vanni / Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh
Key Ingredients
- The rice: Rice is a staple of Filipino cooking. I use long-grain jasmine white rice in arroz caldo because it’s what I have in my pantry. Others like to use half long-grain rice and half sweet rice, also known as “malagkit,” which is short-grain. This mix of short and long-grain rice can create a thicker, heavier texture for the porridge.
- The chicken: I use bone-in, skin-on chicken cuts to deeply flavor the broth. You can use bone-in breasts, thighs, drumsticks, or a mix in this recipe.
- The aromatics: This porridge is defined by its gingery-garlicky flavor, so I make sure to use fresh ginger sautéd together with the garlic, onions, and scallions. Frying the garlic at the start of cooking helps to flavor the stock.
- The toppings: The simplicity of the soft white rice is a perfect backdrop to contrast with flavorful toppings. Boiled chicken flavored with patis (fish sauce), a sprinkling of calamansi (or lemon) juice, scallion greens, and slices of hard-boiled eggs on top are all delicious traditional additions.
Speed up This Recipe
Arroz Caldo is usually cooked on the stovetop in a stockpot. For a shortcut, I sometimes cook the rice, chicken, and broth together in the pressure cooker (Instant Pot) for 25 minutes on high pressure. On busy days, I even use leftover rotisserie chicken. The chicken is already cooked so the rice only needs about 14 minutes to cook in the broth.
Simply Recipes / Photo by Rachel Vanni / Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh
More Comforting Rice Dishes
Cook Mode
(Keep screen awake)
-
1 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, thighs, drumsticks, or a mix
-
4 tablespoons fish sauce, divided, plus more for serving
-
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
-
6 cloves garlic, sliced
-
1 medium white or yellow onion, chopped
-
2 scallions, whites chopped and greens sliced, divided
-
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
-
1 1/2 cups jasmine white rice
-
8 to 9 cups chicken stock (or water, or a combo)
-
Salt, to taste
-
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced, optional
-
4 lemon wedges or 4 calamansi wedges, optional
-
Marinate the chicken:
Use a fork to pierce the chicken pieces all over and transfer to a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the fish sauce, stir to coat, and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
-
Meanwhile, fry the garlic:
In a heavy stockpot, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat until hot, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic pieces and fry until golden brown, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the fried garlic and drain on paper towels. Set the fried garlic aside for garnish.
-
Cook the aromatics:
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the stockpot. Sauté the onions, scallion whites, and ginger until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of fish sauce. Let the fish sauce and aromatics sizzle for 1 minute.
-
Cook the chicken and rice:
Lay the chicken pieces flat on the bottom of the stockpot without overlapping. Add the rice, scattering the grains evenly over the chicken. Pour in 8 cups of the stock.
Cover the pot and cook over medium heat until the chicken is tender and the rice is cooked through, about 40 minutes. Stir gently every so often so the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pot, and add up to 1 more cup of stock or water as needed to loosen the mixture.
Season the porridge with salt and pepper.
-
Chop or shred the chicken:
Remove the chicken pieces and transfer them to a cutting board. Chop or shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
-
Serve with toppings:
Ladle the rice porridge into individual soup bowls. Top each bowl with chopped or shredded chicken, slices of hard-boiled egg, the reserved fried garlic, chopped scallion greens, and lemon (or calamansi) slices. Optionally, serve with a small bowl of fish sauce for anyone who wants to intensify the salty flavors.
Store leftovers of the porridge and chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Store the other toppings separately. To reheat, if the rice has become mushy and thick and no liquid is left, add 1/2 to 1 cup of water and heat on the stovetop until bubbling, about 5 minutes.
Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!
| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 374 | Calories |
| 18g | Fat |
| 15g | Carbs |
| 36g | Protein |
×
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 4 to 6 |
|
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 374 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| 18g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat 3g | 16% |
| 95mg | 32% |
| 1135mg | 49% |
| 15g | 5% |
| Dietary Fiber 1g | 2% |
| Total Sugars 1g | |
| 36g | |
| Vitamin C 3mg | 14% |
| Calcium 48mg | 4% |
| Iron 2mg | 11% |
| Potassium 388mg | 8% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.