Arroz Caldo Rice Grits

Louisville, Kentucky’s Wiltshire Pantry Bakery & Cafe offers an extensive selection of pastries, desserts, artisan breads, breakfast, lunch and gourmet take-home meals.

Executive Chef Nokee Bucayu combines her Filipino and Kentucky experiences in her menu. Her Arroz Caldo Rice Grits are a perfect example of this. Arroz Caldo is a rice porridge made with ginger, chicken, saffron and fish sauce. It’s usually eaten with a boiled egg, scallions and crunchy garlic crumbles. Using Carolina Gold broken rice results in extra starch to make an almost porridge-like consistency. 

2 Tbsp. oil 
1 medium onion, julienned
3-5 cloves of garlic, minced
2 finger-sized pieces of ginger, julienned
4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs 
2 quarts chicken broth 
1 cup broken rice
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Pinch of saffron
Salt, pepper and granulated garlic powder to taste
Scallions, for garnish

In a 4-quart sauce pot, heat oil on medium to high heat. Sear the onions until they’re translucent, then add the garlic and then the ginger.

Pat the chicken dry. Season with salt, pepper and granulated garlic powder. In the same pot, sear chicken, skin-side down. When the chicken no longer sticks to the pan, sear the other side.

Add stock to pot, turn heat to low and let it simmer for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is soft enough to shred. Strain broth into another pot and reserve 1 quart. Heat both on high heat. Once boiling, add in the rice slowly and in batches. Whisk continuously to avoid undercooked rice and big lumps.

Once all the rice is added, turn heat down to low. Continue to whisk until tender. More broth may be needed, so keep it nearby. Once it is at a creamy consistency, whisk in the butter until fully incorporated. Fold in the shredded chicken and a pinch of saffron. Serve topped with thinly slice scallions.

Recipe courtesy of Executive Chef Nokee Bucayu, Wiltshire at the Speed and Wiltshire Pantry and Bakery on Main, Louisville, Kentucky.