Chicken Arroz Caldo

This is a hearty comforting Filipino rice and chicken porridge dish that is IDEAL for when its cold or rainy or gloomy, or when you feel a little bit under the weather. There are many versions of this meal, this is how I prefer making mine.

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Servings: 4 people

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

4-6 bone-in chicken thighs skin removed (you can split each of the thighs in half if you want smaller pieces)
1 cup rice rinsed
4-5 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp oil
1 large onion finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic finely minced
2 inch piece of ginger finely minced or grated
pinch of saffron optional, but really adds to the colour and flavour
1 tbsp fish sauce optional, for added flavour
salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for Toppings/Garnish

1-2 spring onions finely chopped
2-3 hard-boiled eggs peeled
2-3 cloves garlic finely chopped and fried in 1 tbsp oil until golden brown (take care not to burn the garlic)
slices of lemon lime or calamansi

Method

Heat the oil in a deep heavy pan, then add in the minced garlic and ginger, followed by the onions and fry until lightly golden. Next add the chicken thighs and the pinch of saffron. Stir until the chicken pieces lightly brown. Next add the rice and stir it in. Then pour in the chicken stock and the fish sauce if you are using it and stir again to combine. Turn the heat down to medium low and allow everything to simmer gently and cook for about 20-30 minutes, making sure to give it all an occasional stir.In the meantime, prepare the toppings by boiling the eggs, chopping the spring onions and frying the garlic bits.Once the arroz caldo has reached a porridge-like consistency, turn the heat off and season with salt/pepper if need be. Serve into bowls and top with the spring onions, boiled egg, fried garlic and a squeeze of lemon over the top.Enjoy! 🙂