Instant Pot Puerto Rican Arroz con Pollo
My family’s recipe for arroz con pollo adapted for the Instant Pot®! Made completely in your Instant Pot® or multi-functional pressure cooker, this arroz con pollo is as easy as it is delicious!
Servings Prep Time
8servings 10minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
40minutes 20minutes
Servings Prep Time
8servings 10minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
40minutes 20minutes
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Turn on a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot(R)) and select Saute function. Heat olive oil. Add salt pork pieces and stir until edges start to brown, about 2 minutes. Add chicken and sazon seasoning. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is white on all sides, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add sofrito and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 more minutes. Pour in tomato sauce, olives, and capers. Stir to combine and cook until bubbly and all flavors are incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off Saute function, then add the rice and mix well.
  3. Drain liquid from the can of gandules into a large measuring cup. Add enough water to make 2 1/2 cups* of liquid (*if using a 6 quart pot; 8 quart pots should add enough water to make 3 cups of liquid). Add gandules and liquid to the pot and stir well, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan thoroughly to loosen any browned parts. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to manufacturer’s instructions; set timer for 17 minutes.** Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build. (**If making this with an 8-quart pot or a pot that is sensitive to the burn error, I recommend starting a secondary timer for 17 minutes when the pot reaches pressure, that way if the pot gives a burn error at any point, you can leave the lid in place and allow the food to continue to steam with the lid in place for the correct amount of time, then push cancel after 17 minutes to resume the recipe natural release method in the next step)
  5. Release pressure using the natural-release method according to manufacturer’s instructions, about 15 minutes. Release remaining pressure carefully using the quick-release method, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid. Fluff rice with a fork and serve.
Recipe Notes
  • TROUBLE-SHOOTING FOR THE BURN NOTICE: I originally developed and made this recipe with my 6-quart Instant Pot DUO, and while I never personally received the burn error with that pot, I had several people report that they received the burn notice when making this recipe. This appears to be a common issue with Instant Pot arroz con pollo recipes online (including a recipe on the Instant Pot website), especially for those using an 8-quart pot or a newer pot model that is more sensitive to the burn error. Per the Instant Pot website, “If your display is showing a burn warning, don’t panic. Remember, it’s a safety feature to prevent burns, not a notice that it’s time to order pizza… What to do next depends on what you’re cooking. If it’s something quick like steel cut oats, you can just ignore it and let the Instant Pot finish its work.” Upon trouble-shooting this myself with an 8-quart Instant Pot, I received the burn error after the pot came to pressure, and since the pot was still at pressure (pin up), I ignored the error, and did NOT release pressure or open the lid. The pot remained at pressure, and 2 minutes later, the error went away and the countdown continued as if nothing had happened (with 2 minutes less on the clock, even). Mid-way through, I received the burn error again, and kept the lid on. The pot stayed at pressure despite the burn error. After the total pressure cook time of 17 minutes, I pushed cancel and continued with the recipe instructions of letting the pot naturally release for 15 minutes, then using a quick release to finish it. The rice cooked perfectly and was not burnt. The key is not to open the pot or try and bring it back to pressure; let it continue to steam with the lid on.
  • You can use jarred sofrito sauce or freshly made with onion, garlic, bell pepper, cilantro, and oregano pureed in a food processor.

  • Bacon can be used instead of salt pork.

  • You may notice that some of the rice on the bottom of the pan will stick and brown. Don’t worry about this – that crisp layer of rice is called pegao and adds a delicious taste and texture. Some people worry that it’s burnt, but this is actually a part of the process and would be the same as cooking arroz con pollo in a pot