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Meat, South and Southeast Asian

Chicken arroz caldo

Chicken arroz caldo is a Filipino rice porridge made with chicken and ginger, serving 4, ready in 55 minutes. It's a very easy recipe, costing €2.10 per serving, perfect for cold evenings. The trick is to stir it often so the rice releases its starch and turns creamy on its own.

For a soft, cozy dinner, a chicken arroz caldo, a rice porridge with ginger, topped with fried garlic and a hard boiled egg.

Chicken arroz caldo
Total time
55 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€2.10
Calories per person
460 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Arroz caldo is the kind of dish that warms you up without any fuss. Round rice simmers slowly in chicken broth until it turns into a thick, creamy porridge, carried by ginger's gentle bite and turmeric's golden color. The shredded chicken melts into the rice, fried garlic adds crunch, and hard boiled egg with lemon wake up every spoonful.

It's a dish for fall and winter evenings, when you want something soft and filling without spending hours in the kitchen. Kids tend to love it because it's all soft, with nothing hard to chew. You can also make it on a Sunday evening and keep leftovers for the next day, it only gets better.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken thighs 6

Pantry

  • Round riceoften in the pantry 250 g
  • Fish sauceoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Neutral oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Turmericoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Fresh ginger 50 g
  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 8 cloves
  • Eggs 4
  • Scallions 4
  • Lemon 1

Allergens Eggs, Fish

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the onion and half of the chopped garlic with sliced ginger in a large pot. 5 min

    Sliced ginger is easier to fish out later.

  2. Add the chicken, then the rinsed rice and the turmeric, coat everything in the fat, then pour in 1.5 liters of water. 5 min

    The turmeric gives the traditional golden color.

  3. Let it simmer over low heat until the rice bursts and the porridge thickens. 35 min

    If it gets too thick, add some hot water.

  4. Meanwhile, fry the rest of the garlic thinly sliced until golden, and cook the eggs until hard boiled. 8 min

    Pull the garlic out before it turns dark.

  5. Season with fish sauce, serve in big bowls with fried garlic, egg, scallions, and lemon.

    A splash of fish sauce and a squeeze of lemon bring each bowl to life.

Our tips to get it right

  • Rinse the rice well before cooking, it removes extra surface starch and keeps the porridge from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  • Fry the garlic and boil the eggs while the rice simmers, everything is ready at the same time without any last minute rush.
  • Always keep some hot water on hand, the porridge thickens even more as it cools, so you can loosen it right before serving.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken thighs for boneless thighs, they cook a bit faster and shred just as easily.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the chicken and fish sauce, use vegetable broth instead, and add corn or mushrooms for texture.
  • For kids in a hurry, skip the lemon and serve the porridge warm and plain, just topped with a bit of fried garlic.

What to serve it with

  • Extra lemon wedges on the table
  • Pickled chilies for heat
  • Hot ginger tea

Storage

Chicken arroz caldo keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well, without the hard boiled egg or fried garlic, which you add fresh when serving. To reheat, add a splash of hot water or broth and warm it gently while stirring.

Questions about this dish

Can you make arroz caldo ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it the day before and reheat it gently with a splash of water. Add the fried garlic, egg, and lemon only right before serving to keep their crunch and freshness.

What rice should I use if I don't have round rice?

Round rice gives the classic creamy texture, but risotto rice works great too. Avoid long grain rice, it stays too firm and won't thicken the broth properly.

Can I replace the fish sauce?

You can swap it for soy sauce for a fish free version, the flavor will be a bit different but still tasty. Adjust the salt at the end of cooking to taste.

Why isn't my rice thickening enough?

Let it simmer long enough and stir occasionally so the starch releases into the broth. If it still seems too thin, keep cooking it a few more minutes over low heat.

How long does it take to make a chicken arroz caldo, a Filipino rice porridge with ginger, topped with fried garlic and a hard boiled egg?

Count 55 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a chicken arroz caldo, a Filipino rice porridge with ginger, topped with fried garlic and a hard boiled egg?

About 460 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a chicken arroz caldo, a Filipino rice porridge with ginger, topped with fried garlic and a hard boiled egg cost?

About €2.10 per serving, or €8.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs, fish. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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