Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Arroz con pollo is enjoyed by many Latin cultures. The Cuban version is highly spiced – but NOT spicy hot. It’s a favorite Cuban Sunday lunch dish,
INGREDIENTS:
4 strips bacon
8 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
To taste salt, pepper, and cumin for chicken
1/2 cup olive oil for frying
1 large onion, chopped
5 cachucha peppers, chopped (Substitute 1 large green or red pepper)
4 cloves garlic, mashed
1 12-ounce bottle beer
3 and 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon Bijol Powder
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons cumin, ground
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 1/2 cups parboiled rice
1/2 cup frozen green baby peas
Sauté the bacon in a large frying pan. Reduce heat to low and let the fat render out of the bacon – about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, season the chicken lightly with salt, pepper and a little cumin. Once the fat is released, remove the bacon, increase temperature to medium-high and add the chicken to the hot bacon fat. Remove the chicken when it is browned on both sides.
Add a little olive oil to the same pan you fried the chicken in, and sauté the onion and green pepper until the onion is translucent. Add the mashed garlic and cook an additional minute or two, stirring frequently.
Take the chicken broth and beer and pour into a large covered pot. Add the browned chicken pieces, cooked onions and green pepper, tomato sauce, Bijol, bay leaf, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. And hey, why let all that delicious bacon go to waste? Chop it up and toss it in! Bring everything to a rolling boil, reduce heat, cover and cook on low for 15 minutes.
Add the rice. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. When the rice has absorbed some of the liquid, cover and simmer on low for about 30-45 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked and not soupy. Add the frozen peas during the last five minutes of cooking only.
For a dinner, serve the whole chicken pieces with the rice. For a party, you may remove the chicken, skin, de-bone and break it into bite-size chunks. However, DO NOT try to substitute any boneless, skinless chicken in this recipe – unless you enjoy serving a disaster!
Sources: ThreeGuysFromMiami/InternetPhotos/TheCubanHistory.com
Arroz con Pollo Recipe/The Cuban History/ Arnoldo Varona, Editor
Arroz con pollo a la cuba antigua
Ingredientes
2 pollos de dos libras cada uno cortados en cuartos
4 cucharadas de aceite vegetal
¼ de libra de jamón cortado en cuadritos
3 hojas de laurel
1 pizca de sal
½ cucharaditas de pimienta
½ cucharaditas de orégano
1/3 taza de vino seco
1 libra de arroz
1pizca de azafrán
Aceitunas verdes sin corazón para decorar
Elaboración
Lave y corte los pollos en cuartos y dórelos en aceite vegetal. Resérvelos .En un recipiente ancho y profundo prepare un sofrito .Una vez que el sofrito este cocinado , agregue el jamón hasta que se dore. Agregar la hoja de laurel y sazone con la sal, La pimienta y el orégano .Añada 3 tazas de vino seco.Añada el arroz de ultimo para darle color , póngale el azafrán . Cuando comience a hervir,tape y siga cocinando a fuego lento hasta que el arroz este tierno, aproximadamente de 20 a 23 minutos.
Bon Apetit!
Sources:CocinaCubana/InternetPhotos/TheCubanHistory.com
ArrozConPolloRecipe/The Cuban History/ Arnoldo Varona, Editor