Chicken Arroz Caldo Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Warm, rice-based porridge stewed with ginger, garlic, and chicken

Prep Time5

Cook Time42

Total Time47

Course: Chicken, Main Dish

Cuisine: Filipino

Keyword: arroz caldo, porridge

Servings:

Calories: 664kcal

Author: Daisy Merano

Heat the oil in a pot.
3 tablespoons cooking oil
Add the garlic right away. Stir and continue to cook the garlic in medium heat until it gets golden brown. Scoop the garlic out of the pot and then set aside.
1 head garlic
Add ginger, onion, and ground black pepper into the pot. Cook until the onion becomes tender.
3 thumbs ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 large yellow onion
Put the chicken slices into the pot. Cook until the chicken turns light brown.
1 lb. chicken
Pour the rice into the pot and then stir. Cook for 2 minutes.
1 ½ cups Jasmine rice
Pour the chicken broth into the pot. Let boil.
6 to 7 cups chicken broth
Cover the pot and set the heat to medium. Continue to cook for 35 minutes while stirring once in awhile.
Add the safflower (kasubha) and saffron. Stir. Cook for 5 minutes or until a porridge-like texture is achieved; you can add more chicken broth or water if needed.
3 tablespoons safflower, ¼ teaspoon saffron
Stir-in the fish sauce. Continue to cook for 2 minutes more.
3 tablespoons fish sauce
Transfer to as bowl. Add the boiled egg and then top with fried garlic and green onions. Squeeze lemon on top. Enjoy!
5 boiled eggs, 1 bunch green onions

Choose your rice wisely. Jasmine rice gives the creamiest consistency without getting too sticky. Glutinous rice is also used in some households, but it cooks faster and thickens more aggressively, so adjust liquid levels if swapping.
Use bone-in chicken for better results. Chicken thighs or drumsticks still attached to the bone add a fuller flavor during the simmer. Remove the meat and shred it if you prefer boneless serving pieces later on.
Don't skip the fried garlic. That crispy garlic topping isn’t just for show, it adds real contrast in taste and texture. I usually fry the garlic at the beginning and leave it uncovered to stay crisp until serving.
Safflower is not the same as saffron. Safflower (kasubha) is used mostly for its yellow tint and is common in Filipino home kitchens for coloring rice-based dishes like arroz caldo. It has little to no flavor. Saffron, on the other hand, carries a distinct earthy scent with subtle bitterness and is used sparingly in dishes like Spanish paella, Persian tahdig, or Indian biryani.
Adjust your broth as you go. The rice will keep soaking up liquid as it sits. Add more hot broth or water gradually during cooking, especially if you’re after a looser, spoonable consistency.