Today’s Portuguese Chicken and Rice is a lovely, fragrant dish that will have your family begging for seconds. Cooked rice with proteins is a dish made by most cultures of the world in one form or another. From the South’s jambalaya and Latin countries’ arroz con pollo, to Indian biriyani, Spanish paella, or West African’s spicy jollof rice, it is an international favorite.
The ingredients are mostly pantry items that you likely already have ready to go. A couple, like saffron and soppressata, may be less well known. Since saffron is so expensive, you can use a little saffron followed with a little turmeric. You will get some of the flavor and the yellow color as if you used a lot of saffron.
Soppressata is an Italian cured salume, similar to pepperoni or capicola. It usually contains salt, pepper, chili peppers, spices and sometimes red wine. It isn’t too spicy, just the right amount to add a boost to anything you cook with it. If you cannot find soppressata, look for chorizo, pancetta, thick bacon, pepperoni, linguica, or even salami which could be substituted.
This dish is as simple as making rice and adding things to it, then sliding it into the oven for a quick bake to crisp it up. Easy and delicious!
It is a good idea to have some extra broth or olive oil on hand in case the rice starts to dry out. You can stir some in just before serving to moisten the rice if needed.
Do you have a Dutch oven? If not, put it on your gift list because it is truly a workhorse in the kitchen. Enameled cast iron cooks beautifully, is easy to clean, and retains its heat, keeping foods warm for a long time if you need to hold something for a little while. They can be expensive (depending on the brand) but it pays for itself with all the meals you can make in it! Just be sure to get an enameled one.
With just 12 ingredients, mostly pantry items, this is a dish you can easily make on a weeknight any time your family begs you for it.
So what do you think of this Portuguese Chicken and Rice? Simple to make and done in a flash, this is one dish you can put into your regular rotation. Easy to find common pantry ingredients make it even more fun to make.
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a star rating, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day. I love hearing from you!
Ingredients needed for Portuguese Chicken and Rice:
- Chicken broth, basmati rice, salt, saffron, black pepper, olive oil, onions
- Garlic, red bell pepper, soppressata, rotisserie chicken, olives, peas
PRO Tip:
A Dutch oven is the perfect vessel to cook this dish in. When they are enameled, they are easy to clean, little to no upkeep, and a real joy to work with. These pans are absolute work horses in the kitchen and will last generations when handled gently. Use wooden utensils to make them last longer.
PRO Tip:
Another benefit of an enameled Dutch oven is that once hot they hold their heat for a very long time. They are beautiful so you can bring them to the table for serving. Keep the lid on the pot and your dish will remain warm throughout dinner.
How to make Portuguese Chicken and Rice:
- Cook the rice in the chicken broth with the salt, saffron, and pepper. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes then remove from the heat and let stand, covered, 5 to 10 minutes (or according to package directions). Fluff with a fork and set aside.
- In a Dutch oven, heat the oil and add the onions, garlic, bell peppers, jalapeño (if using), and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until onions are light golden, about 5 to 10 minutes. Move vegetables to the side of the pan. Add the soppressata to the empty side of the pan and cook until the meat is rendering its fat, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the chicken, olives, and peas. Top with the cooked rice and carefully stir to combine. Cover pot with an ovenproof lid.
- Bake in a 400°F (204°C) oven 8 minutes. Stir with a fork and return to the oven for another 3 minutes until the rice begins to get slightly crispy around the sides. Serve it directly from the Dutch oven.
PRO Tip:
Rotisserie chicken is a great timesaver in many recipes. If you don’t have access to one in your grocery store, you can pre-cook about 1 pound (0.5 kg), 4 cups (237 ml) of chicken and shred, slice, or cube it in bite-sized pieces. Poaching keeps the chicken moist and sautéing adds a ton of flavor. Either method works for this recipe.
Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Medium nonstick saucepan
- Dutch oven or large ovenproof skillet with a lid
Gluten-Free Tips:
Always watch prepared meats (like the soppressata and rotisserie chicken) for gluten. Sometimes cured meats have gluten ingredients used in their curing process. When in doubt, contact the manufacturer for more info. Chicken broth is another place gluten can hide – be sure you are using a GF product.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Portuguese Chicken and Rice (Dairy-Free, Gluten Free)
Today’s Portuguese Chicken and Rice is a lovely, fragrant dish that will have your family begging for seconds. Chicken and rice is a dish made by most cultures of the world in one form or another. From the South’s jambalaya and Latin countries’ arroz con pollo, to an Indian biriyani, Spanish paella, or West African’s spicy jollof rice, it is an international favorite.
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups (340g) low-sodium chicken broth (gluten free if needed)
- 1 cup (198g) uncooked white basmati rice (not rinsed)
- Kosher salt, divided
- Large pinch saffron threads (scant 1/4 tsp)
- Pinch black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup; 142g)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup (71g) finely chopped red bell pepper
- 1 jalapeno pepper, minced, optional
- 1/4 cup (57g) water or additional chicken stock
- Soppressata* peeled and sliced into half-moons (3 oz; about 1/2 cup; 170g)
- 1 whole (about 2 lb; 907g) rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded, meat picked and sliced or shredded (3 to 4 cups; about 710 to 946 ml)
- 1/4 cup (36g) pitted Kalamata or green olives, sliced
- 1/4 cup (41g) frozen green peas, optional
Instructions
- Bring the broth to a simmer in a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the rice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, the saffron, and pepper. Cover and reduce heat to low; cook, undisturbed, 20 minutes (or according to package directions). Remove from the heat. Let stand, covered, 5 to 10 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork. Set aside, but fluff with a fork occasionally to keep the grains separated.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large, deep ovenproof skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bell peppers, and remaining pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are a light golden color, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the jalapeno if using. Move the vegetables to one side of the pan and add soppressata to the uncovered part of the pan. Cook, stirring often, until soppressata begins to render its fat, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir the vegetables while the sausage is cooking too. Add the 1/4 cup water or stock to deglaze the pan. Scrape the bottom to get up all the browned bits (which are full of flavor).
- Remove from the heat; stir in the shredded chicken, olives, and peas (if using). Top with cooked rice. Carefully stir the mixture to combine using a folding action to bring the items on the bottom of the pot up to the top. Cover with an ovenproof lid.
- Bake in the preheated oven 8 minutes. Stir mixture using a fork. Continue baking until rice is slightly crisped around the sides, about 3 more minutes. Serve it directly from the cooking vessel (this is why a Dutch oven is perfect for this dish). If the rice is dry, you can stir in a little more chicken stock or drizzle with some more olive oil.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
*If you cannot find soppressata in the deli section of your grocery store, you can use salami, chorizo, pancetta, or cubed thick-cut bacon. Be sure the bacon and chorizo are broken up and stirred a bit longer to be sure they are cooked through. The soppressata, salami, and pancetta are fully cured meats and can be eaten without heating or cooking.
Be careful with the rotisserie chicken to be sure there are no gluten ingredients added to the marinade or the seasonings. The broth or stock you use can also have hidden gluten in it. Be sure to get a gluten-free brand! Charcuterie is another place where it might have gluten in it, watch the labels carefully.
Adapted from a recipe in Food and Wine.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 200Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 463mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 10g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate.
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