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Rice porridge is a common dish in Asia as well as in Spanish or Latin regions. Each culture has its own version, but for Filipinos, this popular Arroz Caldo follows a fairly simple recipe. Arroz Caldo is derived from two Spanish terms - “arroz” for rice, and “caldo” meaning broth. Interestingly enough, the dish itself is not influenced by a Spanish recipe. Rather, this warm and earthy food draws inspiration from the congee brought in by Chinese migrants.
Unlike other rice porridges, the Chicken Arroz Caldo (also referred to as Lugaw) draws its main flavors from fresh ginger and chicken. But that’s not all there is to this unassuming rice and broth combo. The beauty of this type of Lugaw, is the unlimited number of combinations you can make from a single base. Here is Knorr’s easy-to-follow chicken porridge recipe.
Arroz Caldo Ingredients:
Chicken Arroz Caldo is a quick dish to put together even when you are in a rush and want to feed your family a filling and healthy meal. To get started you will need these
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 pc small-sized onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tbsp ginger, finely chopped
- 200 grams cooked chicken breast, shredded
- 1/2 cup uncooked malagkit rice, washed 2x and drained well
- 2 pcs Knorr Chicken Cubes
- 4 cups water
Toppings: (optional)
- 1 pc boiled egg, sliced
- 1/4 cup spring onions, chopped
- 1/2 cup fried dilis
- 1/4 cup thinly shredded dried seaweed sheets
Cook
Step 1 :
Begin by preparing a large pot big enough to cook the rice you need for your Chicken Arroz Caldo. Turn up the heat, add oil and throw in the garlic and sauté until lightly toasted. Add the onions and ginger and continue sautéing.
Step 2:
Add the shredded chicken breast. Toss the mixture and wait until you smell the lovely aroma from the cooked vegetables and chicken. At this stage, you can take out the large pieces of chicken and shred them into smaller pieces to release more flavor, and create a different texture to the dish.
Step 3
Add the malagkit (glutinous) rice to the mix and sauté until rice is covered with oil. When the mixture begins to sizzle, pour the water and bring this to a boil before adding the Knorr Chicken Broth Cubes.
Step 4
Cook the malagkit rice slowly over a low fire while stirring frequently to avoid the rice from clumping together with the rest of the Arroz Caldo ingredients.
Step 5:
Top your Arroz Caldo with fried garlic and spring onions to give it a lovely presentation and add depth of flavor.
Step 6
Serve this hot in a big bowl. A small cup filled with patis and some calamansi on another plate is just some extra touches you can add to make this dish a favorite in the family.
Step 7
Chicken Arroz Caldo is best served with Lumpiang Togue.
This chicken rice gruel is deceptively basic in appearance. Even the methodology is simple enough that anybody can make it. But don’t underestimate its simplicity. After all, it was a congee dish made by a Filipino that won the hearts of judges in Season 9 of Top Chef. What makes rice porridge stand out is the quality ingredients added to make each version extra special, and for lots of people, eating Arroz Caldo brings forth childhood memories for many people.
If Americans have chicken noodle soup for sick days, Pinoys reach for either a bowl of sopas or a bowl of Arroz Caldo. Perhaps it’s the simplicity of the dish and nostalgic memories of mothers making a pot of this porridge, but you can agree that nothing beats the comfort a bowl (or two!) that it brings. Keep making memories with your family by making a pot of home-cooked Arroz Caldo using this recipe. Don’t be afraid to play around with toppings or substituting if you want a vegan friendly option.