Arroz con Pollo or Chicken with Rice

Post author:Angel
Post published:February 14, 2021
Post category:100 Days - 4 Shops / Dinners / The meals Round #1
Post comments:2 Comments

Spanish classic of simple chicken & rice, there are as many variations as there are cooks and/or what you may have in your kitchen. It can be somewhat bland so I spiced it up a bit, and plenty left for freezer stock up for the rest of the month.

Breakfast – Orange Cranberry Muffins

Lunch – Vegetable Beef Soup

I thawed three chicken thighs – these were from a sale pack in the Office Stash and were quite large. Chicken stock, freezer peppers, jarred jalapenos, onion, garlic, canned tomatoes, spices, and flour for dredging. Oil for cooking, and uncooked rice.

I seasoned the flour – about 1/2 cup – about a teaspoon each, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, lemon pepper, Italian herbs, cilantro, celery salt, chipotle powder, salt and pepper. Mix it all together.

For this I will break out a new player a large cast iron with a well fitting lid since I will be cooking the chicken and rice together on the stovetop.

Smash and chop 3 large cloves of garlic – or six small ones – or 19 tiny ones … whatever you have.

Put some oil in the bottom of the pan. Heat over medium high heat until shimmering.

Dredge the thighs in the flour and spices, coating both sides well and place skin side down in the hot pan.

Flip when brown on the skin side and brown the other side. Not cooking it through, just getting some nice color and searing in the juices.

Once the chicken is nicely browned remove from the pan and set aside.

Add 1 cup uncooked rice – not freezer rice- to the seasoned oil and toast, coating each grain and getting some nice toastiness on the rice grains.

Remove the rice from the pan, and add the onions and peppers sauté until softened.

Drain the tomatoes, add them to the pan with the veggies, add in the jalapenos and garlic.

Add chicken stock to the tomato liquid to make two cups.

Add the rice back into the pan and stir to combine. Sauté together for 2-3 minutes

Pour the chicken stock into the pan and stir well. Bring to a simmer.

Nestle the chicken thighs back into the pan skin side up – the skin will not stay crispy, just saying.

Reduce heat to low, and cook covered 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender.

Remove the cover and check the rice for tenderness.

Stir and fluff the rice letting any excess liquid cook off – remove from heat and let cool.

After you have enjoyed your lovely meal and the chicken has cooled enough to handle debone the remaining thighs and dice into small bite size pieces.

Stir the chicken bits back into the rice.

Angel

I have always cooked, I was that person who could make a meal from an empty fridge. I have lived alone and with large and small families, I have cooked for camps on wood stoves, and in professional kitchens. I have lived and worked all over the west from Montana, to Seattle to Arizona to San Diego. I have traveled, maybe not 'all over the world', yet, and have collected tastes recipes and techniques everywhere, and every one I meet.