Locrio de Pollo
“Dominican paella-cousin — chicken pieces browned with sofrito, then long-grain rice added to the pot with stock, olives, and capers, all cooked together until the rice has absorbed all liquid and a crisp golden crust (concón) forms on the bottom. Sunday-lunch standard, served at every fiesta.”
Where it comes from
Spanish-colonial paella technique adapted to Dominican ingredients and proportions. The defining Dominican move is concón — the deliberately-burnt rice crust at the bottom of the pot, prized so much that some households use a separate pan to make extra. Each locrio variant (de pollo, de chuleta, de salami, de hueso) keeps the technique, swaps the protein.
On the plate
Top rice is soft, deeply colored from tomato and paprika, dotted with bright olives and bursts of caper. Chicken is fork-tender from the long braise. Bottom layer is the prize: chewy-crisp concón, slightly burnt, gold-mahogany, eaten directly off the spoon. Both layers in one bite is the goal.
How it works
Lid-on simmer at lowest heat: rice absorbs all liquid evenly without burning the bottom — until the final 5 minutes. The heat-up at end forces moisture out of the bottom layer, the starch dehydrates against the pot, and the Maillard crust (concón) forms. Stirring during cook would break up the layers and lose the crust.
Variations
Locrio de salami uses chunks of Induveca salami instead of chicken — Dominican everyman version. Locrio de chuleta uses pork chops. Festive version adds raisins for sweet-savory contrast — closer to Cuban arroz con pollo.
On the Palate
Ingredients
Serves 6
How it's made
7 steps · Show ↓30 min active · 60 min waiting
How it's made
7 steps · Show ↓- 140 min
Cut 1 chicken into 8 pieces. Marinate 30 min with juice of 2 limes, 4 minced garlic, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp salt.
- 210 min
Heat 3 tbsp oil in a heavy pot. Brown chicken pieces 5 min per side. Remove.
- 35 min
In same pot, add 1 cup sofrito (or sauté 1 onion + 1 bell pepper + 4 garlic + cilantro). Cook 5 min.
- 45 min
Add 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp paprika, cook 2 min. Add chicken back, 4 cups stock, ½ cup pitted olives, 2 tbsp capers, 1 bay leaf.
- 53 min
Bring to boil. Add 2.5 cups long-grain rice. Stir once to distribute. Reduce heat to lowest, cover.
- 622 min
Cook 22 minutes. DO NOT stir during. Final 5 min: increase heat slightly to encourage bottom concón.
- 710 min
Off heat, rest covered 10 min. Fluff carefully from sides; scoop concón intact from bottom. Serve.
