Imperial Rice Recipe

Name: Imperial Rice Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Cuban
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large onion (diced); 1 green bell pepper (diced); 4 to 5 garlic cloves (minced); ½ cup dry white wine; 1 (15 ounce) can canned crushed tomatoes; 1 bay leaf; 3 cups cooked chicken (shredded, (see notes)); 1 cup frozen green peas; 4 ¾ cups chicken broth; 2 ½ cups long-grain white rice (uncooked); 2 teaspoons ground cumin (or bijol seasoning); ¾ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon ground black pepper; ⅔ to 1 cup mayonnaise; 2 ½ cups shredded Muenster or Mozzarella cheese; pimientos

Instructions

Prep:30minCook:30min

Imperial rice is a Cuban recipe for chicken and rice. It gets layered in a baking dish similar to lasagna. Mayonnaise is an unusual but authentic ingredient for this recipe. The mayonnaise bakes into the rice layer and gives it a rich flavor. The mayonnaise is usually layered on even thicker than we did in this recipe but we opted for extra cheese instead. We simplified this recipe by using pre-cooked chicken. You can purchase a rotisserie chicken or bake and shred some chicken before you get started.

Updated at: Tue, 28 Oct 2025 08:30:35 GMT