Arroz con Pollo served with a Green Salad

Next to Southern dishes, Mexican cuisine is my other comfort food. When my boyfriend and I started dating, I told him I love Spanish food. Instead, we ate at a Puerto Rican restaurant, New York City style. I was a bit confused, because I wanted enchiladas or tacos. Then, I realized his comfort food are Dominican and Puerto Rican cuisine. Now, when he says, “Baby, I’m bringing home Spanish food. Did you want a plate?”, I know what to expect.

I was browsing through Williams-Sonoma’s website, when I came across the recipe for Arroz con Pollo. We had the same dish a week before at a Dominican restaurant. The blandness of the dish was disappointing at this one location. Curious, I decided to try the recipe. The boyfriend quickly proclaimed the dish as another one of my best recipes. Next time, I’ll in toss in a few green olives for more tanginess.

Arroz con Pollo

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma. Recipe serves 4 to 6 people.

Ingredients

  • 2 to 3 tbsp. olive oil
  • 3 lb. chicken thighs, breast halves and/or drumsticks; seasoned with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 roasted red bell or piquillo peppers, cut into thick strips
  • 4 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 tsp. saffron threads, crushed
  • 2 c. long-grain white rice
  • 2 c. chicken broth
  • 1 c. of white wine
  • 2 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes with juices
  • Optional: garnish with green olives

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°f.
  2. Heat a large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. When the pot is hot, add the olive oil. After a few seconds, when the oil is hot, add two or three chicken pieces (the amount depends on the size of the pot. Don’t overcrowd it and work in batches). After three to four minutes, when the cook side is golden brown, turn the chicken over to repeat cooking on the other size. This step should take about six to eight minutes per batch. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate. Scrap down and discard any burnt pieces.
  3. If necessary, add about 1 tbsp. of olive oil to the same pot as the chicken. Add the onion, roasted peppers and garlic to the drippings in the pan, reduce the heat to medium and sauté until the vegetables are softened, about four to five minutes.
  4. Stir the saffron into the vegetables. After about a few seconds, stir in the rice. Stir in the broth, wine and oregano. Cover the pot and bring to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pot. Lightly stir to cover the chicken. Cover the pan, transfer to the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
  5. {Meanwhile} Wash dishes and prep the salad. See salad recipe below.
  6. Uncover the pan and stir in the tomatoes with their juice, salt and pepper. Cover and continue to bake until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes more. Serve directly from the pan.

Salad

Ingredients

  • 5 oz. pre-wash green lettuce leaves
  • 1 small thinly sliced red onion
  • ½ c. of black, pitted green olives; cut in half
  • 4 oz. feta cheese, crumbed/chopped
  • 8 to 10 oz. grape tomatoes; sliced in half
  • 6 to 8 radishes, leaves and stems removed, sliced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • sherry vinegar
  • olive oil
  • fresh lime juice

Directions

  1. Toss first seven ingredients together.
  2. Allow guests to sprinkle salad with sherry vinegar, olive oil and fresh lime juice to their taste.
  3. Serve with Arroz con Pollo.

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