Authentic Cuban Arroz Imperial (Rice Casserole)
Authentic Cuban Arroz Imperial (Rice Casserole)
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Broth
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 3 garlic, smashed
- 1 onion, rough chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups water, to 6 cups
- 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning
For the Sofrito
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 garlic, minced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 cup dry white cooking wine
For the Rice
- 3 1/2 cups long grain rice
- 2 teaspoons bijol or yellow/orange coloring
- 2 teaspoons adobo seasoning
For Assembly
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 pound deli ham, chopped
- 1 cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- 1
Place the chicken thighs, 3 smashed garlic cloves, 1 rough chopped onion, bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning into a large pot. Add 4 to 6 cups of water to the pot.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 20-25 minutes.
⏱️ 25 min
- 3
Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and shred it into pieces. Strain the chicken broth from the pot and reserve 4 1/2 cups of the strained broth for later use.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the 8 minced garlic cloves, 1 diced onion, 1 diced red bell pepper, and 1 diced green bell pepper to the pan. Sauté the vegetables until they are softened, about 8-10 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Stir in the 8 ounces tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 1/2 cup of dry white cooking wine. Bring the sauce mixture to a simmer, then remove from heat.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
In a separate large pot, add the 4 1/2 cups of strained chicken broth. Add 2 teaspoons bijol (or yellow/orange coloring) and 2 teaspoons adobo seasoning to the broth. Bring the seasoned broth to a boil.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Add the 3 1/2 cups long grain rice to the boiling broth and stir well to combine. Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and cook until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
⏱️ 20 min
- 8
In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken with approximately 1/3 of the prepared sofrito sauce. Add 1/2 pound of chopped deli ham and 1 cup of mayonnaise to the chicken mixture. Mix all ingredients thoroughly until well combined.
⏱️ 10 min
- 9
Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large baking dish, spread an even layer of the cooked rice as the base.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350
- 10
Top the rice layer with half of the chicken and ham mixture, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese over the chicken mixture.
⏱️ 5 min
- 11
Add another layer of cooked rice over the cheese. Top with the remaining half of the chicken and ham mixture. Evenly spread the remaining sofrito sauce over the chicken layer.
⏱️ 5 min
- 12
Finish by sprinkling the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese generously over the top of the casserole.
⏱️ 2 min
- 13
Place the assembled casserole into the preheated oven. Bake until the cheese is completely melted and bubbly, and the casserole is heated through, about 20-25 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 350
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Authentic Cuban Arroz Imperial (Rice Casserole)
For the Chicken and Broth
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 3 garlic, smashed
- 1 onion, rough chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups water, to 6 cups
- 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning
For the Sofrito
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 garlic, minced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 cup dry white cooking wine
For the Rice
- 3 1/2 cups long grain rice
- 2 teaspoons bijol or yellow/orange coloring
- 2 teaspoons adobo seasoning
For Assembly
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 pound deli ham, chopped
- 1 cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- 1
Place the chicken thighs, 3 smashed garlic cloves, 1 rough chopped onion, bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning into a large pot. Add 4 to 6 cups of water to the pot.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 20-25 minutes.
⏱️ 25 min - 3
Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and shred it into pieces. Strain the chicken broth from the pot and reserve 4 1/2 cups of the strained broth for later use.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the 8 minced garlic cloves, 1 diced onion, 1 diced red bell pepper, and 1 diced green bell pepper to the pan. Sauté the vegetables until they are softened, about 8-10 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Stir in the 8 ounces tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 1/2 cup of dry white cooking wine. Bring the sauce mixture to a simmer, then remove from heat.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
In a separate large pot, add the 4 1/2 cups of strained chicken broth. Add 2 teaspoons bijol (or yellow/orange coloring) and 2 teaspoons adobo seasoning to the broth. Bring the seasoned broth to a boil.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Add the 3 1/2 cups long grain rice to the boiling broth and stir well to combine. Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and cook until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
⏱️ 20 min - 8
In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken with approximately 1/3 of the prepared sofrito sauce. Add 1/2 pound of chopped deli ham and 1 cup of mayonnaise to the chicken mixture. Mix all ingredients thoroughly until well combined.
⏱️ 10 min - 9
Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large baking dish, spread an even layer of the cooked rice as the base.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350 - 10
Top the rice layer with half of the chicken and ham mixture, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese over the chicken mixture.
⏱️ 5 min - 11
Add another layer of cooked rice over the cheese. Top with the remaining half of the chicken and ham mixture. Evenly spread the remaining sofrito sauce over the chicken layer.
⏱️ 5 min - 12
Finish by sprinkling the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese generously over the top of the casserole.
⏱️ 2 min - 13
Place the assembled casserole into the preheated oven. Bake until the cheese is completely melted and bubbly, and the casserole is heated through, about 20-25 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 350