Columbian Rice with Chicken: Healthy, Tasty and Economical

We're going to show you how to prepare a delicious homemade Colombian rice with chicken to ensure an excellent content of proteins of high biological value.

Reviewed and approved by the nutritionist Saúl Sánchez Arias.

Written by Saúl Sánchez Arias

Last update: 27 May, 2022

Preparing an exquisite Colombian rice with chicken is very simple. It’s a recipe that will provide a significant amount of essential nutrients, indispensable elements to ensure the proper functioning of the human body.

Before starting, it’s important to note that to achieve a healthy diet, you need to ensure that it’s balanced and varied. It’s always advisable to match the number of calories ingested to those expended during daily activities.

Colombian rice with chicken recipe

Colombian rice with chicken is a dish that is ideal for special celebrations. In addition, it includes animal protein, vegetables, and carbohydrates, and so it’s considered to be very complete and healthy.

Here, we’re going to tell you how you can prepare it at home and discover a touch of this Latin American country in every spoonful.

Ingredients

If you want to prepare a delicious Colombian rice with chicken, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into small pieces
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 3 large peppers, chopped: 1 red, 1 yellow and 1 green pepper
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cups of rice
• 5 cups of water
• 2 cups of assorted vegetables in small pieces
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1 envelope of saffron seasoning
• Salt to taste

Step by Step instructions

1. To begin, place the oil in a large pot over low heat.
2. Then, sauté the finely chopped peppers along with the garlic and onion. It’s important to stir to prevent them from burning or sticking, thus achieving a final golden color.
3. Add the 3 cups of rice and continue stirring.
4. To continue, pour in the water along with the diced vegetables.
5. Then add the chicken, the bouillon cube, and the seasoning packet.
6. Season to taste, stir a little and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
7. After this time, the rice should absorb all the water, leaving a dry result.
8. Then, cover the pot and continue cooking for 10 minutes over a very low heat to achieve a perfect grain texture.

Benefits of Colombian rice with chicken

This Colombian rice with chicken recipe can bring several health benefits if included in the context of a varied and balanced diet. It’s necessary to avoid deficits of essential nutrients to ensure the proper functioning of the body.

First of all, this dish is a source of proteins of high biological value. These nutrients have all the essential amino acids and have a good digestibility rating.

Proteins are necessary to ensure that muscles function well over time. In this way, pathologies such as sarcopenia can be prevented, according to a study published in the journal Nutrition Research.

On the other hand, it’s a dish that also contains complex carbohydrates. These elements are the energy substrate for high-intensity activities.

Carbohydrates are also key in the recovery process. In fact, it has been demonstrated that when they’re administered post-workout, together with a significant portion of proteins, a very efficient glycogen replenishment takes place.

It shouldn’t be forgotten that this dish has a high content of vegetable products. These ingredients contain phytochemicals with antioxidant capacity.

These elements neutralize the formation of free radicals and their subsequent accumulation in the body’s tissues. Thanks to this effect, the risk of developing complex pathologies is reduced, as stated in research published in the European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.

Prepare Colombian chicken rice at home

As you have seen, it’s very easy to prepare Colombian chicken rice at home. This recipe can be included in the context of a healthy diet, although it’s also especially beneficial for athletes.

Athletes will benefit greatly from the intake of these ingredients that provide quality complex carbohydrates and proteins of high biological value. Thus, the recovery processes after intense effort are improved.