Overview
Arroz Tapado from Boyacá
Make moist Boyacá arroz tapado with chicken, pork ribs, pork belly, peas, carrot and hogao in one pot
Colombian National Dishes
Arroz Tapado from Boyacá
Make moist Boyacá arroz tapado with chicken, pork ribs, pork belly, peas, carrot and hogao in one pot
Colombian National Dishes
Ingredients
Ingredients
Meat and rice
- 1.2 kg bone-in chicken, cut into small serving pieces
- 500 g pork ribs, cut into 4 cm pieces
- 250 g meaty pork belly, diced
- 700 g long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
- 250 g cooked green peas, drained
- 250 g carrots, finely grated
Vegetables, seasoning and liquid
- 240 g hogao (Colombian tomato-and-onion sauce)
- 2.8 L water, hot
- 2 g dried oregano
- 15 g fine salt, divided or to taste
- 2 g whole black peppercorns, lightly crushed
Method
Method
Method
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Prepare the pot safely Keep the raw chicken refrigerated at or below 4°C and away from ready-to-eat food. Use a separate board for raw poultry; wash hands, the knife and the work surface afterward. Pat the meat dry so it browns instead of steaming.
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Render and brown the meats Set a heavy 8 L pot over medium heat. Add the diced pork belly and cook, stirring, until golden and some fat has rendered. Brown the ribs and chicken in batches in that fat. Avoid crowding the pot; transfer browned pieces to a clean plate while finishing the batches.
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Season the rice Return the meats to the pot. Stir in the rinsed rice, peas, carrot, oregano, salt and crushed pepper, coating the grains in the rendered fat. Fold in the hogao and cook briefly until fragrant. Keep the mixture moving gently so the rice does not stick.
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Simmer until the chicken is safe Pour in 2.8 L hot water and bring the pot to a full boil. Cook uncovered at a steady simmer for 25–35 minutes, stirring gently and scraping the base now and then, until much of the liquid has reduced and the rice begins to show. Check the thickest chicken piece with a clean thermometer; it must reach 73.9°C. If it has not, continue simmering and check again.
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Cover, rest and serve Cover tightly, lower the heat and cook for 15–25 minutes, until the rice is tender and the chicken reaches at least 73.9°C throughout. If the rice is still firm after the liquid is absorbed, add a little hot water and continue cooking. Turn off the heat and rest covered for 10 minutes. Keep hot for serving; cool rice leftovers in shallow containers within 1 hour and reheat once to 74°C throughout.
Practical guidance
Practical
Nutrition per serving
These ingredient-based figures are approximate; chicken skin, rendered pork fat, hogao and the amount of salt retained can shift the result substantially.
Arroz Tapado from Boyacá Recipe
A moist, one-pot rice dish from Tunja with browned chicken, pork ribs, pork belly, peas and carrot. Arroz tapado is listed among the main dishes of Tunja, Boyacá. Rice cooks with chicken and two cuts of pork, while peas, grated carrot, oregano and hogao bring sweetness and a tomato-onion base. The finished dish is meant to stay moist and generous rather than dry and fluffy. Rendering the pork belly first gives the pot enough fat to brown the ribs and chicken. The rice and vegetables briefly take on that savoury coating before water is added. As the liquid reduces, the rice absorbs the meat juices and hogao; a covered finish softens the grains and cooks the pieces through. Cut the chicken into small pieces and ask the butcher to portion the ribs, so they fit comfortably in a heavy pot. A thermometer is essential because piece size and a high-altitude kitchen can change the cooking time. Serve straight from the pot while hot.
Practical guidance
Choose manageable pieces: Small bone-in chicken portions and short rib sections cook more evenly in the rice. If your pieces are large, brown them, then simmer them in the pot until nearly cooked before adding the rice. Let the rice guide the finish: The historical one-pot proportions produce a soft, moist texture. Pot width, lid fit and altitude affect evaporation, so add hot water a little at a time if the grains are still firm. Keep the lid on during the final stage. Equipment and leftovers: Use a heavy lidded pot, a sturdy spoon and a food thermometer. Keep the finished dish steaming hot, or cool it promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate; rice should be cooled within 1 hour. Reheat only once to at least 74°C and eat promptly.
Final notes
Key point 1: Brown the pork belly first; its rendered fat seasons the chicken, ribs and rice. Key point 2: The rice should finish soft and moist, with the chicken fully cooked and the liquid absorbed.
Allergens and food safety
The listed ingredients contain no major declared allergen. Check prepared hogao and seasonings, and prevent cross-contact from shared equipment. Keep raw poultry separate from cooked food. Verify the thickest chicken piece reaches 73.9°C with a food thermometer. Keep the rice hot or cool it within 1 hour; refrigerate promptly and reheat once to 74°C throughout.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition per serving
- Serving basis: 1/8 of the cooked rice and meat mixture
- Calories: 760 kcal
- Carbohydrate: 78 g
- Protein: 39 g
- Fat: 31 g
- Fibre: 5 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
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