Arroz Caldo
Arroz caldo is a soothing, savory rice porridge made with tender chicken, lots of ginger, and fragrant garlic simmered until creamy and comforting. This version is quick enough for a weeknight but still delivers the classic golden broth, soft rice, and bright scallion finish that make the dish so satisfying.
Ingredients
Lugaw base
- 300 gboneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 120 gjasmine rice, rinsed well
- 1.2 Lwater
- 40 gfresh ginger, peeled and julienned
- 20 ggarlic, minced
- 80 gyellow onion, finely chopped
- 20 mlfish sauce
- 15 mlneutral oil
- 1 gkasubha (safflower)
- 1 gground black pepper
- 3 gfine salt
Pampatong at panghain
- 20 gscallions, thinly sliced
- 2 largehard-boiled egg, halved
- 1 piececalamansi or lemon, cut into wedges
Instructions
- 1
Prepare everything first for fast cooking: rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear, cut the chicken into bite-size pieces, julienne the ginger, mince the garlic, chop the onion, slice the scallions, and halve the hard-boiled eggs.
- 2
In a medium pot over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion, half of the ginger, and the garlic; cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant but not browned. Stirring often keeps the garlic sweet rather than bitter.
- 3
Add the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the outside loses its raw color. Add the fish sauce and black pepper, and let it sizzle briefly so the chicken absorbs the seasoning.
- 4
Add the rinsed rice, water, kasubha, and salt. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot so no rice sticks. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- 5
Once boiling, lower to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 18-20 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the rice grains have broken down and the porridge is thick but still spoonable. If it gets too thick before the rice is fully tender, add a splash of hot water. The chicken should be fully cooked and tender.
- 6
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Stir in the remaining ginger for a fresher ginger aroma, then simmer 1 minute more.
- 7
Ladle into 2 bowls. Top each serving with scallions and a halved egg, and serve immediately with calamansi or lemon wedges for squeezing over at the table.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •For a looser, more soup-like arroz caldo, add 100-200 ml more water near the end of cooking.
- •Chicken thighs stay juicier than breast and are more traditional for a richer-tasting bowl.
- •If you want extra garlic aroma, fry a little additional minced garlic in oil until lightly golden and spoon it on top.
- •Serve with extra fish sauce on the side so each person can season to taste.
Background
Arroz caldo is a Filipino rice porridge with Chinese roots, related to congee and often linked to the influence of Hokkien migrants in the Philippines. Over time it became distinctly Filipino through the use of ginger, fish sauce, and local garnishes, and it remains a classic comfort food often eaten for breakfast, rainy days, or when someone is under the weather.
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