Arroz Caldo is a savory, flavorful Filipino porridge that is the perfect comfort food. In cold weather this soup is tasty and keeps you warm!
This flavorful Filipino soul food Soup Recipe is similar to American Chicken and Rice Soup, but with a much thicker consistency and richer depth of flavor. Try out my Greek Chicken and Rice Soup too!
Sabrina’s Arroz Caldo Recipe
This rice and chicken porridge is the ultimate cold weather comfort food dish to enjoy on cool weather days with some sweet bread and will warm you up fast. In the Philippines, Chicken Arroz Caldo is also a common breakfast dish. The filling and protein-rich dish is sure to keep you satisfied through the day.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
For Crispy Topping:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 6 chicken thighs , bone in, skin on
- 8 cloves garlic , chopped (do not mince too finely)
Soup:
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 yellow onion , chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger , minced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 pinch saffron
- 1 lime , juiced
To Finish:
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce , to taste (about 1 teaspoon per bowl)
- 1 soft boiled eggs , cut in half (1 per bowl)
- kosher salt , (sprinkled over egg)
- 1 tablespoon cilantro , minced (1 tablespoon per bowl)
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions , (about 2 tablespoons per bowl)
- lime wedges , (1-2 per bowl)
Instructions
Crispy Topping:
- To a large dutch oven or heavy pot add the vegetable oil on medium heat, then reduce heat to medium-low.
- Add the chicken skin and let cook for 8-10 minutes as the fat renders from the skin and the skin crisps up (the crispier the better as long as it doesn't burn).
- Remove the chicken skin, trim off any non-crispy parts, chop the rest of it and reserve.
- Add the garlic, stir to coat and cook for 1 minutes until garlic just barely begins to brown (it will continue to brown as you remove it, so don't wait too long or you will burn the garlic).
- Remove garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside with the crispy chicken skin.
Soup:
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and black pepper.
- Raise heat to medium, add in the chicken thighs and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side.
- Remove the chicken from the pot, add in onion, stir well and cook for 4-5 minutes until onion is translucent.
- Add in ginger and garlic, stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Add in rice, stir to coat with the fat in the pan and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add in chicken broth, stir well and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a simmer, add in the chicken thighs, bay leaves and saffron.
- Cook for 25-30 minutes until rice is tender and the chicken is tender (you can leave on both for authentic presentation or remove chicken and cut into chunks for easier eating).
- Remove the bay leaves, stir in lime juice before serving.
To Finish:
- Microwave garlic and chicken skin for just 5 seconds to heat through.
- To serve, spoon rice soup into bowl, top with one chicken thigh, 1 halved soft boiled egg, salt, cilantro, lime wedge, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, green onions, crispy garlic and crispy chicken skin.
Nutrition
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Sabrina’s Tip
When making Arroz Caldo make sure you sauté the garlic, onions, and especially the ginger before adding the rice and broth. This step builds a deeper, more aromatic flavor base and gives the dish its signature warm, comforting taste.
Table of contents
About This Recipe
Arroz Caldo is a comforting rice porridge and is a staple in the Philippines. It known for its rich, savory flavor and soothing qualities. Made with rice simmered in a ginger-infused broth, it’s cooked with chicken and finished with toppings like crispy garlic, green onions, and a squeeze of fresh citrus for brightness. It is full of flavor and tastes delicious! The best part is that it is ready in only an hour too!
Ingredients
- Chicken Thighs: Chicken thighs have juicy dark meat that is perfect for this delicious hearty dish. If you prefer, you can make this recipe with bone-in chicken breast instead of chicken thighs. You don’t want to use boneless chicken or you can’t make the delicious crispy topping. The chicken breast will also take a few minutes less to cook through than chicken thighs do.
- Rice: Use an aromatic white rice like Jasmine rice or Basmati rice for the best flavor and texture. You can also use other long grain white rice if you prefer though. If you use brown rice, you will need to add more broth and cook it longer.
- Seasonings: The blend of zesty lime and fresh ginger pieces add brightness to this savory dish. The gingery flavor cuts through the fattiness from the chicken skin. Even more cloves of garlic add lots of aromatic warmth. Finally there is a floral earthiness from the saffron and bay leaves.
- Toppings: You can skip the toppings if you don’t have them on hand. But, for the most authentic presentation and flavor, add fish sauce, a soft or hard-boiled egg, salt, cilantro, and green onions to each bowl of rice porridge. The fish sauce is particularly important to the taste of the overall dish.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Dutch Oven: A good quality dutch oven is the best tool for making this thick savory rice porridge! It can handle high heat, so you don’t lose any of that amazing flavor you built up by rendering the chicken fat and frying the garlic.
- Kitchen Shears: Having a sharp pair of kitchen shears makes tasks like trimming the chicken skin easy and quick. Plus if you start with a whole chicken instead of thighs, it makes breaking down the bird much easier.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Don’t Burn the Garlic: Nothing can turn a dish faster than burnt garlic, so make sure to keep an eye on it and don’t let it burn. The key is to heat the oil on low so that it’s hot but not hot enough to fry the garlic. As soon as the garlic turns golden brown, take it out and drain it. It will get crunchy as it rests and cools.
- Crispy Chicken Skin: Before you start frying your chicken skin, you want to pat it dry as well as you can. Any excess moisture could make the skin boil in the oil instead of fry which will make it soggy. Let it cool and drain on a wire rack instead of paper towels so the air circulates around it. This will keep it crispy.
How to Store
- Store: After cooking, don’t leave the soup at room temperature for more than 2 hours. To keep leftovers, transfer the rice and chicken pudding to an airtight container. It can stay good in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Reheat: It’s best to reheat slowly on the stove top in a covered pan. Stir it occasionally until it’s heated through. Since it will probably be much thicker the next day, add some extra broth until it’s the consistency you like.
- Freeze: You could also divide up the pot into freezer-safe containers. Keep it frozen for up to 3 months. Let the porridge thaw overnight before reheating as above.
Frequent Questions
Arroz Caldo is a Filipino chicken and rice dish. This recipe was inspired by the traditional Arroz Caldo I had the chance to eat in the Philippines. I’ve included all the traditional add-ins: a soft-boiled egg, fish sauce, green onions, and a crispy garlic topping to finish the comforting chicken bowl.
Basically, Lugaw refers to most rice porridge dishes, but it is more of a simple rice porridge recipe. Arroz Caldo on the other hand includes ginger and chicken pieces so that is what makes it different than just a basic Lugaw dish.
Variations
- Lemon Juice: To make this soup with a fresh lemon flavor, you can use lemon juice instead of lime juice. Just mix the lemon juice into the recipe as usual, then serve the dish with a lemon wedge in each delicious bowl.
- Seasonings: You could also add different flavorings to the rice and chicken soup with some simple spices. White pepper, coriander, fennel seeds, cumin, and curry powder would all taste quite good with the saffron flavor already in the recipe.
Related Recipes
More Chicken and Rice Recipes
Photos Used In Previous Posts
If I use those instead of thighs, how much should I adjust the 25-30 minute simmer time so the white meat doesn’t dry out?
You’re going to add the chicken breasts in after the rice has been simmering for 5 minutes, and you’ll want to check for internal temp of 165 degrees at the 18-20 minute mark. You still want the rice to cook for 25-30 minutes to avoid it being al dente. By adding the chicken in a bit later, you’ll avoid drying it out.