Description
Arroz Con Pollo Y Camarones is a vibrant and cheesy Spanish-inspired dish featuring tender chicken strips, succulent shrimp, and aromatic long grain rice cooked with enchilada sauce and sazón seasoning. Topped with a rich, creamy cheese sauce and served warm, this dish blends savory, spicy, and cheesy flavors, perfect for family dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Rice and Base
- 2 Cups Long Grain White Rice (such as Jasmine)
- 2 tbsp Cooking Oil (Avocado Oil recommended)
- 1 Yellow Onion, diced
- 4-5 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp Chicken Bouillon
- 1 packet Sazon Seasoning
- 19 oz Can of Red Enchilada Sauce
- 4 Cups Water
Protein
- 1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into thin strips
- 1 lb Raw, Peeled, Deveined Large Shrimp, tail off
- 1 tbsp Cooking Oil
- 2 tbsp Butter (divided)
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tbsp Onion Powder
- 1 tbsp Chili Powder
- 1 tbsp Cumin
- 1 packet Sazon Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
Cheese Sauce
- 16 oz Queso Blanco Velveeta or any white American Cheese
- 12 oz Can of Evaporated Milk
- 7 oz Can of Diced Chilies
- 8 oz Grated Pepper Jack Cheese
Instructions
- Toast Rice and Aromatics: In a skillet over medium/high heat, toast the rice along with diced onion and minced garlic in 2 tbsp avocado oil, stirring continuously for 5-6 minutes until the rice is fragrant and lightly golden.
- Add Liquids and Seasoning: Stir in the sazón seasoning, chicken bouillon, red enchilada sauce, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover with a lid, reduce heat to very low, and let simmer without stirring for 15 minutes.
- Rest and Fluff Rice: Remove the skillet from heat and keep it covered for another 15 minutes to allow the rice to finish cooking and become fluffy. Avoid stirring during this resting period. After resting, gently fluff the rice with a fork.
- Prepare Cheese Sauce: In a saucepan over low to medium heat, combine queso blanco Velveeta, evaporated milk, diced chilies, and grated pepper jack cheese. Stir constantly until the cheeses melt fully and the sauce thickens slightly. Set aside and keep warm.
- Cook Chicken: Heat 1 tbsp cooking oil and 1 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium/high heat. Add chicken strips and cook while stirring for 4-5 minutes until fully cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- Cook Shrimp: In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tbsp butter. Add shrimp and cook about 2 minutes per side until they turn pink and opaque. Remove from heat.
- Assemble Dish: Plate the cooked rice, top with the cooked chicken and shrimp, and generously drizzle with the cheese sauce. Optionally, warm tortillas can be served alongside to complete the meal.
Notes
- Arroz Con Pollo Y Camarones blends tender chicken, flavorful shrimp, and aromatic rice with a creamy, spicy cheese sauce for a delightful, hearty meal.
- Do not stir the rice during simmering and resting to ensure fluffy, separate grains.
- Use avocado oil for a neutral, healthy cooking oil option that works well for toasting and sautéing.
- For extra flavor, warm tortillas make a great accompaniment to scoop the cheesy chicken and shrimp rice mixture.
- Sazón seasoning is essential for authentic flavor but can be substituted with a mix of garlic powder, cumin, paprika, and annatto powder if unavailable.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate (approximately 1/6 of the dish)
- Calories: 620 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 950 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 70 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg
