Puerto Rico’s one-pot dish combining rice, chicken, broth, sofrito, and sometimes seafood is asopao.
Asopao is a thick, soupy rice dish traditionally prepared with chicken, although versions may include shrimp, lobster, clams, or other seafood. Sofrito, a mixture of aromatic ingredients such as onions, peppers, garlic, and herbs, provides much of its flavor.
The dish is often described as Puerto Rico’s answer to a rice soup or a wetter relative of paella. Its consistency varies: some cooks make it brothier, while others reduce it until the rice produces a dense, stew-like texture.
Asopao is commonly served at family meals and during cooler or rainy weather. It should not be confused with arroz con pollo, which is usually a less soupy rice-and-chicken preparation, or with sancocho, a broader root-vegetable stew.