Instant Pot Arroz Caldo

Here's my personal and easy take on a classic Filipino comfort food – arroz caldo. Not claiming it's the most authentic recipe, but might just be one of the tastiest ones out there – if I do say so myself.

My secret ingredient? Lemongrass.

This Filipino-style chicken and rice porridge (slash congee) is delicious, super comforting and feels so nourishing.

More importantly, it's perfect for those sick days when you don't have the energy to spend a ton of time in the kitchen.

The prep is simple because I use a blender instead of chopping. And after a bit of initial sauteing, it's set-and-forget kind of cooking, thanks to the instant pot.

I’ve always had a thing for creamy rice dishes, which is probably why I love my ground beef risotto too. However, arroz caldo tops my list of soft, comforting meals.

You really, really have to give this recipe a try!

Pre-cooking notes

I hope you can take a minute to read these notes before you dive into the recipe. Having made this dish several times over the years, I've anticipated the common questions that might arise during cooking and have answered those here.

• You won't find salt listed in the ingredients and that's not an oversight. Fish sauce and chicken bouillon add plenty of saltiness.
• Chicken thighs are great if you prefer juicy tender meat like I do – but breasts are also fine. You can use bone-in, skinless chicken pieces as well.
• Buy frozen stalks of lemongrass from an Asian store. It's handy because you can use just one stalk at a time, without worrying about the rest going to waste. Oh and a quick tip. When I bring it home, I make small packets of two or three stalks each (using plastic wrap) before putting it back in the freezer. This way, whenever I need just a stalk or two, I don’t have to semi-thaw the entire packet. If you're looking for another delicious recipe that requires lemongrass, check out my tom yum noodle soup. It's a family favorite.
• I prefer yellow onions for this recipe but white and red ones work too. You can also use an equal amount of shallots.
• When buying glutinous white rice, make sure you're not getting the sweet Thai rice variety.
• Don't worry about the fish sauce giving a very 'fishy' taste, it's not overwhelming in the small amount we're using. Plus it lends an amazing flavor.
• Speaking of fish sauces, these can vary in saltiness and taste, so you might have to adjust quantity. I prefer the Squid brand fish sauce. It doesn't actually contain squid, nor am I sponsored for sharing my preference. Just the sauce I like and always use.
• Do not skip the chilies, you do need a bit of heat to balance all the other warm and umami flavors. If you have a very low spice tolerance, perhaps choose milder options like Anaheim peppers or maybe just reduce the quantity of Thai chilies. For reference, I would consider my arroz caldo recipe medium spicy.
• There's no need to soak either of the two rice varieties. Wash if you want, but I usually skip for this recipe.
• I've never used chicken broth or stock for this recipe – just bouillon cubes, granules, or concentrate. If you need to use broth, I recommend limiting to no more than 2 cups (so you can control the saltiness). Opt for a low-sodium variety. And reduce the amount of water by that same quantity.

How to make arroz caldo in an instant pot

If you're someone who prefers visual cues, here are step-by-step photos from my actual cooking process, just for you. If not, feel free to skip to the recipe card below where you’ll find a printable, shareable version.

Add garlic, ginger, chilies, onion to a high-speed blender along with 3 to 4 tablespoons of water. Blend until completely pureed.

Switch on your Instant Pot, select sauté mode (on "normal" setting), add cooking oil, the prepared puree of aromatics and lemongrass chunks. Sauté 3 to 4 minutes. Then pour in 5.5 cups of water.

Add chicken thigh pieces, fish sauce, chicken bouillon cube, ground black pepper.

Also add glutinous white rice and regular white rice. Give everything a quick mix, then turn off the sauté mode.

Secure the lid in place, choose the pressure cook mode and cook on high pressure for 25 minutes. Wait 10 minutes before proceeding with a quick release of pressure. Make sure to follow the safety instructions that came with your Instant Pot.

After pressure cooking, stir your arroz caldo. Remove the lemongrass chunks and serve with your preferred garnishes (hard-boiled eggs, lime, lemon, calamansi, green onions, crispy garlic, chili oil are all good options).

Serving ideas

Arroz caldo, with all the topping options I've listed in the recipe card below, is a meal in itself. But I sometimes like to switch things up by serving it with poached eggs instead of boiled ones. Once or twice I've paired it with sautéed mushrooms (reminded me of risotto).

You can serve it with steamed vegetables, some crusty bread, crispy bacon or cooked sausage slices and top it with some grated Parmesan. But again, these are the ways I have enjoyed it in the past and are in no way traditional.