Fill a large stockpot of water and place over high heat until it comes to a boil. Add your chicken and let it boil for 15 minutes until cooked through. Once ready, take the chicken out of the pot and place on a sheet pan to allow it to come to room temperature. Once ready, shred it with your hands or two forks.

Make your sofrito: Add your onion & bell peppers to a caldero (large dutch oven or deep pot) with 4 tbsp of olive oil and place over medium high heat. Cook this for 4-5 minutes until the onions are translucent. Now add in your garlic and 1 tbsp of sazon completa and cook for another 2-3 minutes until your garlic becomes nice and fragrant.

Now deglaze with the cooking wine and stir then add in your tomato sauce and stir again. Add the shredded chicken to the pan and salt to taste. Drop the heat to low and let this simmer for 10 minutes until all the flavors come together.

Make your rice: Start by adding the rice, water, oil and Sazon con achiote to a caldero (or large dutch oven). Cover the pot and place at medium high heat until it comes to a boil. Immediately drop the heat to low and cover. Let this cook for 18 min. Uncover, fluff up the rice and turn off the heat. Place the lid back on it and let it sit with the lid on and off the fire for another 10 min.

Chop your ham and add it to a medium saucepan to lightly brown evenly. Once the rice is cooked you can begin layering your arroz imperial in a baking dish. After each layer use a spatula to press the layer down and make it even.

Oil your baking dish and start with an even layer of rice, then mayonnaise, then chicken. After the chicken, add the diced ham, then a generous layer of cheese. Repeat these layers one more time. The more cheese, the better the cheese pull!