Filipino Chicken and Rice Soup (Arroz Caldo)

This is one of my "go to" comfort dishes that I grew up with. The Filipino take of chicken and rice.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5-20 minutes

Ingredients

- 4 Skinless Chicken Thighs

- 1 cup of Glutenous Rice or Sweet Rice

- 2 cups Chicken Stock

- 4 cups Water

- 1 medium Yellow Onion

- 2 Knobs of Ginger

- 1 Bulb of Garlic

- 4 Stalks of Green Onions

- Salt and Pepper to Taste

- Fish Sauce (optional for Garnish)

- 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil + 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil

Instructions

1. Start with peeling and mincing the whole bulb of garlic. Once all garlic is minced, separate into 2 halves (you will be frying half the garlic for garnish).

2. Next, chop the green onions. Separate the green onions into 2 halves (you will be using some for garnish).

3. Peel and dice the onions. Set aside.

4. Slice the ginger. You can peel the ginger if you prefer, but I leave it on since I typically use it for flavor. You can also slice them thinly (julienne) if you want to eat the ginger in your soup.

5. In a medium to large pot, on medium heat, add the 1 tbsp. olive oil. Add in the onions and sauté until they're translucent. Then add in the ginger and garlic, being sure to stir consistently so the garlic doesn't burn.

6. Place the chicken thighs into the pot and sear the chicken. Once the bottom is seared, flip and sear the other side.

7. Once the chicken is seared, pour in the chicken stock and water. Give everything a quick stir, cover, and then bring to a boil.

8. Once the stock is boiling, add in 1 cup of rice. Turn the heat down to low and cover. Cook for about 1 hour.

9. While the chicken boils, in a small pan on medium low heat, add in 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Add in the garlic and fry until brown. NOTE: Stir constantly to prevent the garlic from burning.

10. After the hour, the rice and broth should be thick and have a porridge like consistency. Remove the chicken, and shred the meat and remove the bones.

11. Return the chicken to the pot and mix it in with the rice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat, and add in half of the green onions. Stir.

12. Serve immediately and garnish with additional green onions, fried garlic, and drizzle fish sauce if you prefer. Enjoy!