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Authentic Filipino Arroz Caldo Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 108 reviews

Authentic Arroz Caldo is a comforting Filipino rice porridge made with glutinous and jasmine rice, tender chicken pieces, aromatic garlic, ginger, shallots, and turmeric, simmered in flavorful chicken broth and enhanced with fish sauce. This hearty dish is traditionally garnished with hard-boiled eggs, fried garlic, green onions, and a squeeze of calamansi or lemon for a vibrant, warming meal perfect for any time of day.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 head garlic, minced (about 12 cloves)
  • 2 shallots, finely diced
  • 3–4 tablespoons fresh ginger, diced (about a 3–4 inch piece)
  • ½ – 1 tablespoon dried turmeric
  • 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces (about 2 lbs), skin removed
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 8 cups no-sodium added chicken broth
  • 1 cup glutinous rice
  • 1 cup jasmine rice
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste

For Serving (Optional)

  • 6 tablespoons fried garlic
  • 1 calamansi or lemon, cut into wedges
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 6 eggs, hard boiled

Instructions

  1. Prepare Ingredients: Peel and dice the garlic, onion, shallots, and ginger. Cut the whole chicken into pieces and remove the skin, leaving the bones intact.
  2. Sauté Aromatics: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic, diced onion, shallots, ginger, and turmeric. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
  3. Brown Chicken: Add chicken pieces to the pot and sauté for about 5 minutes until they start to brown and caramelize, releasing their juices for flavor.
  4. Add Fish Sauce and Rice: Pour in the fish sauce, cover the pot, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then add the glutinous and jasmine rice, stirring to coat all grains with the flavorful mixture.
  5. Simmer with Broth: Pour in the chicken broth and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, which may take up to 10 minutes given the volume, then reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom.
  6. Season to Taste: Once the rice reaches your desired porridge texture, taste and adjust seasoning with more fish sauce, salt, pepper, or a splash of lemon or calamansi juice for brightness.
  7. Assemble and Serve: Ladle the arroz caldo into bowls and top each with a hard boiled egg, fried garlic, and sliced green onions. Serve with lemon or calamansi wedges on the side for an authentic Filipino finish.

Notes

  • You can substitute the glutinous rice with regular short-grain rice if unavailable, but the texture will be less sticky.
  • If calamansi is not accessible, lemon juice works well as a citrus alternative.
  • Removing the chicken skin reduces fat and keeps the dish lighter.
  • Use no-sodium chicken broth to control saltiness precisely with fish sauce and salt additions.
  • Stirring occasionally during simmer prevents the rice from sticking and burning on the pot’s bottom.

Keywords: Arroz Caldo, Filipino rice porridge, chicken congee, ginger rice porridge, turmeric rice soup, Filipino comfort food

Find it online: https://yumwithmia.com/authentic-filipino-arroz-caldo-recipe/