Puerto Rican · Soup · SAMPLE RECIPE
Asopao de pollo · chicken & rice stew
A generous, soupy bowl of chicken and rice with sofrito, tomato, peppers, and olives. This Puerto Rican comfort dish stays loose enough to eat with a spoon.
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A NOTE FROM THE KITCHEN
Asopao should still have plenty of broth.
This home version uses boneless chicken thighs and prepared green sofrito. It is a rice-rich soup or stew, distinct from a dry pot of arroz con pollo. Rice keeps absorbing liquid as it stands, so have a little extra hot stock ready if serving is delayed.
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Asopao de pollo · chicken & rice stew
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BEHIND THE DISH · Puerto Rican rice-and-broth cooking
Asopao de pollo · chicken & rice stewBeyond the plate.
Chicken, rice, and sofrito share a pot of tomato-colored broth that stays generous and spoonable.
ORIGINS & EVOLUTION
Rice cooked into a soupy dish.
Asopao is a Puerto Rican preparation that sits between soup and stew, with rice helping give the broth body. Chicken is one familiar version. The rice cooks directly in the seasoned liquid, absorbing flavor while also thickening the pot.
CULTURAL CONTEXT
A different texture from dry rice dishes.
Unlike arroz con pollo served as a drier rice dish, asopao retains enough liquid to eat comfortably with a spoon. Sofrito, tomato, olives, and herbs can season the broth, while the exact vegetables and proportions vary among cooks.
AT THE TABLE
Keep an eye on the broth.
Our home version uses boneless chicken thighs, medium-grain rice, red pepper, and a measured cilantro finish. Extra hot stock can loosen the pot as needed. Serve soon after cooking, because the rice continues absorbing liquid while it stands.
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