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Arroz Caldo

There's nothing more comforting than a bowl of steamy hot Arroz Caldo. It just warms the body and soul with every bite! This simple rice porridge is infused the earthy aromatics, such as garlic, onions, and ginger, given a splash of umami flavor from the fish sauce, and packed with juicy morsels of chicken. It's a simple, inexpensive, and crowd-pleasing dish no one can resist!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 854 kcal
Course: Side Dish , Main Course , Soup
Cuisine: Asian , Filipino

Ingredients

Ingredients
  • 1/2 pound skinless boneless chicken thigh cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1/2 small onion finely diced
  • 3- inch ginger sliced
  • 7 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 cup glutinous rice*
  • 1 tablespoon safflower*
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 4 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
For Serving
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 green onion thinly sliced
  • 1 lemon sliced
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs cut in half, optional

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat a large pot on medium-high heat then add about 1 tablespoon of oil. Add in chicken and cook until it’s about 80% done.
  2. Add in onions and ginger, then saute for about 1 minute, until it begins to turn tender. Add in garlic and saute for a few more seconds.
  3. Add in glutinous rice and safflower, then saute for 2 - 3 minutes to toast the rice.
  4. Pour in chicken broth, fish sauce, & black pepper. Stir soup then bring it to a boil. Give the pot another stir to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Turn heat down to medium-low, cover, & cook for about 35 minutes, or until the rice is super tender. Stir to make sure the rice isn’t sticking to the pot. If the soup is too thick, add a bit more low-sodium chicken stock.
  5. In the meantime, make the garlic crisp topping. Heat a small pan on medium-low, then add about 1 - 2 tablespoons of oil then add the remaining minced garlic. Cook until lightly golden and crisp, they’ll continue to slightly darken from the residual heat once they’re removed.
  6. Drain garlic from the oil then transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.
  7. Taste soup and if it needs more salt, add in more fish sauce. Give it a final stir then turn off heat. Ladle soup into serving bowls then top with some of the crispy garlic, sliced green onions, hard-boiled eggs, and lemon wedges on the side, if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Time-Saver Tip:
  • Flavor-Boosting Option
  • Chicken: I usually opt for boneless chicken for a quicker version of arroz caldo, however, if you have the extra time, you can swap it out for bone-in chicken for a much more robust flavor! Sear the chicken skin-side down, then follow the recipe. Once the chicken and rice are cooked, remove the chicken, shred it, then add the shredded chicken back in.
  • Rice: To save even more time, you can use leftover cooked rice! Reduce the low-sodium chicken stock to about half. Your cooking time will also reduce since your rice is already cooked!
  • Safflower: Alternatively, you can use saffron. If you can’t find either, your Arroz Caldo will still be delicious; the flavor will be slightly different and won’t have the yellow color.

  • Key Tips:

    Time-Saver Tip: Use leftover rice to speed up the cooking time. Reduce chicken stock and take advantage of the pre-cooked rice for even quicker meal prep. Flavor-Boosting Option: For even more flavor, go for bone-in chicken if you have the extra time. Cut the meat into bite-size pieces and add the bones to the soup while cooking. This intensifies the chicken flavor even further.

  • Time-Saver Tip: Use leftover rice to speed up the cooking time. Reduce chicken stock and take advantage of the pre-cooked rice for even quicker meal prep.
  • Flavor-Boosting Option: For even more flavor, go for bone-in chicken if you have the extra time. Cut the meat into bite-size pieces and add the bones to the soup while cooking. This intensifies the chicken flavor even further.

Nutrition Information

Serving 350g Calories 854kcal (43%) Carbohydrates 71g (24%) Protein 52g (104%) Fat 39g (60%) Saturated Fat 9g (45%) Polyunsaturated Fat 12g Monounsaturated Fat 16g Trans Fat 0.01g Cholesterol 129mg (43%) Sodium 57485mg (2395%) Potassium 942mg (27%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 42g (84%) Vitamin A 123IU (2%) Vitamin C 5mg (6%) Calcium 476mg (48%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 854

% Daily Value*

Serving 350g
Calories 854kcal 43%
Carbohydrates 71g 24%
Protein 52g 104%
Fat 39g 60%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Polyunsaturated Fat 12g 71%
Monounsaturated Fat 16g 80%
Trans Fat 0.01g 1%
Cholesterol 129mg 43%
Sodium 57485mg 2395%
Potassium 942mg 20%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 42g 84%
Vitamin A 123IU 2%
Vitamin C 5mg 6%
Calcium 476mg 48%
Iron 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.