Imperial Rice Recipe

4.70 from 13 votes

Cuban imperial rice (arroz imperial) layers seasoned rice, shredded chicken, mayonnaise, and melted cheese in a rich casserole. Our version uses cooked chicken for easier prep, with less mayonnaise and extra cheese.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Cuban

Keyword: arroz imperial, Cuban chicken and rice, Imperial rice, Imperial rice recipe

Servings: servings

Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

Make the chicken mixture:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion diced
1 green bell pepper diced
4 to 5 garlic cloves minced
½ cup dry white wine
1 (15 ounce) can canned crushed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
3 cups cooked chicken shredded, (see notes)
1 cup frozen green peas

Cook the rice:

4 ¾ cups chicken broth
2 ½ cups long-grain white rice uncooked
2 teaspoons ground cumin or bijol seasoning
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

For constructing the layers:

⅔ to 1 cup mayonnaise
2 ½ cups shredded Muenster or Mozzarella cheese

Garnish:

pimientos

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

The Chicken Mixture

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper. Sauté for 4 to 6 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
Add the wine and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the wine is reduced by half. Scrape the bottom of the saucepan to remove any cooked on onion bits.
Add the crushed tomatoes, bay leaf and shredded chicken. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the peas. Taste, and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

The Yellow Rice

In a separate pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil over high heat. Add the rice, bijol (or cumin), salt and pepper. Bring to a boil again then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 18 to 20 minutes.

Assemble and Bake

Grease a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Spread ⅓ of the rice mixture into the bottom of the dish. Spread 3 to 4 heaping tablespoons of mayonnaise over the rice. Sprinkle a layer of cheese over the mayonnaise. Top with half of the chicken mixture. Spread ½ of the remaining rice over the chicken. Spread 3 more tablespoons of mayonnaise over the rice then sprinkle more cheese over that.
Next, spread the rest of the chicken on top. Spread the rest of the rice over the chicken and top with 3 more tablespoons of mayonnaise.
Top with more shredded cheese and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the edges are brown and the cheese looks bubbly.

Notes

Chicken: You’ll need 3 cups of cooked, shredded chicken. Rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken works well.

For a spicy variation: Add a chipotle pepper and a little adobo sauce to the chicken mixture, adjusting to taste. You can also replace the mayonnaise with chipotle aioli.

Mayonnaise alternatives: Mayonnaise is traditional, but you can use garlic butter sauce or white garlic sauce for a different flavor and texture.

Optional additions: Stir diced cooked ham, cooked sausage, or sliced olives into the chicken filling.

Bijol vs. cumin: Bijol gives the rice its yellow color. Cumin adds earthy flavor but only a lightly tinted yellow. We enjoy cumin, but its flavor is pronounced, so choose Bijol or omit both if desired.

Nutrition