Arroz con Pollo

Ingredients

• 2 lbbone-in chicken thighs$6.13
• 1.5 cuplong-grain rice$0.60
• 2.5 cupchicken broth$0.95
• 1 eachyellow onion, diced$0.72
• 1 eachred bell pepper, diced$1.11
• 0.5 cupgreen olives$0.69
• 2 tbsptomato paste$0.19
• 3 eachgarlic cloves, minced$0.31
• 0.25 tspsaffron threads$2.98
• 2 tbspolive oil$0.31
• 1 tspkosher salt$0.01
• Total for 4 servings$14.00

Most of the cost is bone-in chicken thighs ($6.13) and saffron threads ($2.98). With oil, spices and staples already at home, the shop drops to about $11.25. Prices are estimated for the amount used, at average US grocery prices (November 2026).

Steps

1. Pat the chicken thighs thoroughly dry with paper towels and season evenly on all sides with half of the kosher salt.
2. Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy Dutch oven or deep skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear until deeply browned and crisp, 5 to 6 minutes per side, then transfer to a plate.
3. Reduce the heat to medium, add the yellow onion and red bell pepper to the remaining fat in the pot, and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, tomato paste, and saffron threads, cooking for about 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add the long-grain rice, chicken broth, and the remaining kosher salt, stirring well and scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, then nestle the chicken thighs and any accumulated plate juices into the rice in a single layer.
5. Cover the pot tightly with the lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer undisturbed for 20 to 25 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed, the rice is tender, and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
6. Remove the pot from the heat, scatter the green olives over the surface, and cover again with the lid; let the dish rest off the heat for 10 minutes to allow the steam to finish plumping the rice.
7. Fluff the rice gently around the chicken pieces with a fork and serve hot, accompanied by lemon wedges or fresh cilantro if you like.