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Arroz Caldo is one of those dishes that makes me think of home. This warm bowl of goodness reminds me of when my mom used to make it for us growing up. The ingredients are so simple but when brought together they make such a flavorful dish. It’s great on a cold day, if you’re feeling under the weather or when you miss your Filipino mom.

Arroz Caldo is essentially a Filipino rice porridge or congee made with chicken. It gets it’s aromatic flavor from onion, garlic, ginger and fish sauce. It is a hearty and filling meal that is downright comforting. Prior to serving you typically garnish it with hard boiled eggs, green onions, fried garlic, patis (fish sauce), and calamnsi. You can prep your garnishes in advance or you can do them all while the arroz caldo is cooking.

The base of this dish is the rice and chicken. You can really use any or all parts of the chicken, if you’d like. Personally, I prefer to use chicken wing drumettes and flats. I buy whole chicken wings and cut them into pieces (throwing the wing tips in the air fryer for a tasty snack. I find that they cook evenly and are easier to eat. In terms of the rice, good old long grain rice works for me.

The cooking process is rather simple. In a large pot, you start by sautéing the onions, garlic, and ginger in a bit of oil. When soft, add your chicken and cook until golden brown making sure to stir occasionally. Add in some fish sauce for salt and umami. Stir in your rice until browned and then add in your water. As the water comes to a boil, carefully skim the scum from the top. Mix in the Better than Bouillon base, cover, and reduce the heat. As it cooks, I recommend stirring regularly to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom and to give it that thick texture.

Serve the arroz caldo warm. I like to ladle it with bowls and garnish it with the toppings to my liking. It’s such a satisfying meal!

If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and post on Instagram. Make sure to tag @blasianbonvivant and use hashtag #bbvrecipe

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5 from 1 vote

Arroz Caldo

Flavorful Filipino rice porridge with chicken.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time50 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Filipino

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 lbs chicken drumettes and flats
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 6 cloves of garlic minced
• 4 tbsp fresh ginger minced
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1.5 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 cup uncooked white rice
• 6 cups water
• 2 tsp Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

Garnishes

• 4 hard boiled eggs halved
• 4 green onions chopped
• 1 lemon cut into wedges
• 12 large garlic cloves minced
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• fish sauce to taste

Instructions

• Add canola oil to a large pot over medium heat.
• To the hot oil add onions, garlic and ginger. Sauté until soft and aromatic.
• Add the chicken to the pot. Cook until light brown making sure to stir occasionally.
• Add fish sauce and stir to incorporate into the the ingredients.
• Add rice and cook until browned making sure to stir often.
• Add water and as it comes to a boil skim the scum that rises to the surface of the water.
• Stir in Better than Bouillon chicken base.
• Cover and lower heat to medium low. Allow to simmer while stirring regularly. The dish will be ready when the rice is soft and the consistency of the porridge is similar to a risotto.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve in bowls and, if desired, garnish with boiled eggs, green onions, lemon, fish sauce, and fried garlic.

Fried Garlic (for Garnish)

• While the arroz caldo is cooking, prepare the garlic for garnish.
• Add the oil to a small pan over medium low heat.
• Add the minced garlic and cook until golden brown.
• Remove from the pan using a spoon and drain on a paper towel.

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