Arroz Valenciana is a hearty and tasty Filipino dish made of glutinous rice, coconut milk, chicken, Chorizo de Bilbao, and saffron. It's colorful and festive, and perfect for holidays and special occasions!
Less than three weeks to Christmas! Can you believe it? It seems just yesterday when 2019 rolled in, and we are now in the last month of the year. Ugh, time, you move too fast.
I am knee-deep, working on new recipes for this season's festivities. I already have quite a few ready to go, and I am rushing to get them up on the blog in the next few days, so you'll have plenty of time to plan your Noche Buena menu.
Along with this Arroz Valenciana, we have, so far, ube biko, special mini sapin-sapin, and lechon manok already posted. I hope you check back here daily and find something tasty to make for the holidays.
What is Arroz Valenciana
Arroz a la Valenciana is another example of Spanish influence in Philippine culture. Brought to our shores by three centuries-long colonization and adapted to fit indigenous ingredients, this one-pan rice dish is made with parts glutinous and long-grain rice, coconut milk, chicken, chorizo de bilbao, and spices.
Although traditionally served during Christmas, fiestas, and other special occasions, it's easy enough to prepare for everyday dinner meals. As with most dishes, modes of preparation and ingredients may vary from one cook to another, from one region to the next.
Ingredient notes
- Meat- Arroz Valenciana can be as simple with chicken and sausage as in this recipe or a more elaborate affair with seafood, pork, beef, duck, or even game meats.
- Vegetables- the recipe uses bell peppers and green peas, but it's also common to add vegetables such as cubed potatoes and fresh tomatoes for color and texture.
- Garnishes- You can garnish the dish with bell pepper strips, carrot florets, chopped green onions or parsley, lemon wedges, and hardboiled egg slices for better presentation.
Cooking tips
- Drain the rice well using a fine-mesh sieve as the excess liquid might affect the cooked texture.
- The recipe calls for boneless chicken thigh meat for use of preparation; feel free to swap with bone-in chicken parts.
- Saffron gives the dish its distinct color and flavor, but use it sparingly as it's a very strong spice and has a bitter taste. For a more economical option, substitute safflower or locally known as kasubha.
- Use a large enough cookware for the rice to have enough space to expand. Make sure it has a tight-fitting lid so the steam doesnโt escape.
- After the rice is cooked, let stand, covered, for about 5 minutes before fluffing to absorb the extra moisture.
How to serve and store
- Arroz Valencia is a great addition to your regular dinner rotation, holidays, and special occasions. It's a hearty one-pot dish that's as festive as it is delicious!
- Do not keep it outside refrigeration for too long as it contains coconut milk and protein-rich ingredients and will spoil quickly. Discard if left outside of refrigeration for more than two hours or less in warmer weather.
- Store leftovers in a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheat in the microwave at 2 to 3-minute intervals until completely warmed through.
More rice dish recipes
Ingredients
- 1 ยฝ cups long-grain rice (Jasmine)
- ยฝ cup glutinous rice
- 1 tablespoon canola or olive oil
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- ยฝ pound boneless chicken thigh or leg meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 5 ounces (about 2 pieces) chorizo de bilbao, cut into ยฝ-inch thick on a bias
- ยผ teaspoon Saffron
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 ยฝ cups coconut milk
- 1 ยฝ cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 small green bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced thinly into strips
- 1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced thinly into strips
- ยฝ cup frozen green peas, thawed
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine long grain and glutinous rice. Rinse a few times with cold water until water runs clear. Drain well.
- In a wide, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions, garlic and cook until softened.
- Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until color changes and lightly browns.
- Add chorizo de bilbao and cook until lightly browned and releases color.
- Add saffron and cook for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
- Add fish sauce and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add rice and cook, stirring regularly, for about 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly toasted.
- Add coconut milk, broth, and tomato paste. Stir until well combined.
- Add green peas and ยฝ of the green and red bell peppers and stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Lower heat, cover, and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for about 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork to distribute.
- Garnish with the remaining bell peppers and serve hot.
Notes
- Drain the rice well using a fine-mesh sieve as the excess liquid might affect the cooked texture.
- The recipe calls for boneless chicken thigh meat for use of preparation; feel free to swap with bone-in chicken parts.
- Saffron gives the dish its distinct color and flavor, but use it sparingly as it's a very strong spice and has a bitter taste. For a more economical option, substitute safflower or locally known as kasubha.
- Use a large enough cookware for the rice to have enough space to expand. Make sure it has a tight-fitting lid so the steam doesnโt escape.
- After the rice is cooked, let stand, covered, for about 5 minutes before fluffing to absorb the extra moisture.
Nutrition Information
โThis website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.โ
Nelly A.Salazar says
The broth and coconut milk were not enough to cook the rice.
Leila Mae Delica says
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. In a Christmas party, if I serve this as the main entree, what is the perfect Filipino appetizer and dessert can I serve to make a cohesive menu? Your answers will be a great help for my lab-at-home task as our school requirement. Thank you.
Celeste says
Thank you very much for the recipe. I will definitely tr it. Where can I buy Saffron here in the Phils.? Thanx
Fulgencia Mangapit Lagon says
Thanks, very excellent!
Joan V says
Winner recipe! Tastes amazing because of the flavor from saffron. Glutinous rice is hard to find in an "American" grocery, so I prepared without it, and tasted just as great! For me, mas masarap siya when I reheated the leftovers over a non-stick skillet the following day ๐
May I request for your version of the red velvet cookies with cream cheese filling. This was popular in the Philippines about 2-3 years ago. This is also good for selling online. Thanks Lalaine!
Womensecr says
Drizzle the lemon juice over the cooked seafood arroz a la Valenciana. Sprinkle with chopped mint, parsley or scallions. Serve at once.
Doris Arana says
Thanks for keeping your recipes so simple and clear! Makes me want to try!!! Videos are a special plus!
Duterte says
Lol..ang daming ingredient nmn nyan .. All I know walng tamato paste at saffron at Patis.. :n comparison sa paella MA's masarap any valenciana its bcoz of the malagkit rice..
genevieve q. caro says
What s saffron?
gabriel says
for a complete infรถr google it.... chorizo de bilbao are available in the supermarkets.... or world market like what we have in bouston.....using coconut...be cautious..you don't want to taste it like suman or guinatan.....
Lalaine says
Thank you for the tips ๐
Carol Santos says
Thank you for Arroz Valenciana recipe. I certainly will try it. Where can I get the chorizo de Bilbao, or what is a good substitute?
Lalaine says
I bought the chorizo de bilbao at Seafood City, an Filipino supermarket here in Cerritos, CA (they have branches all over California). If you can't find it, andouille sausages is a good substitute.
Marylou says
Hi Lalaine,
Thank you for this mouth watering recipe... will definitely try... Just wondering if you have recipe on how to make pilipit/bitsu-bitsu or filipino donuts (the soft version).
Thank you for sharing...
Cheers,
Marylou (fromAustralia)
Lalaine says
Hello Marylou
I hope you try this arroz valenciana. Very tasty and easy enough for every day meals.
I don't have a recipe yet for pilipit but it's certainly on my to-do/to-learn recipes ๐