Arroz con Pollo (Chicken and Rice)
Back in the late 80s, I was stationed in Del Rio Texas and a local invited me over for dinner. Took me 6 months of begging for the recipe. Once I got it, I couldn't believe how easy it was!
Back in the late 80s, I was stationed in Del Rio Texas and a local invited me over for dinner. Took me 6 months of begging for the recipe. Once I got it, I couldn't believe how easy it was!
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
- 3 pound frying chicken or broiling chicken
- 2 cups onion chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper crushed
- 2 cups white rice raw, converted
- 1 can tomatoes undrained (1 pound, 12 ounce can)
- 1 canned green chili pepper chopped
- 1 can condensed chicken broth (10 3/4 ounce can)
- 5 ounces frozen peas
- 1/4 cup green olives with pimientos and sliced
- 1 can pimientos drained and sliced (4 ounce can)
- Carbohydrate 69.4654855 g
- Cholesterol 170.605833333333 mg
- Fat 54.5504566666667 g
- Fiber 6.94522833135526 g
- Protein 52.7520295 g
- Saturated Fat 12.72533855 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (590g)
- Sodium 1288.8305 mg
- Sugar 62.5202571686447 g
- Trans Fat 3.60909281666668 g
- Calories 984 calories
Step-by-step
- Wipe chicken pieces with damp paper towels.
- In heavy 6-quart Dutch oven, heat olive oil and then brown the chicken, a few pieces at a time, until golden. Remove chicken pieces as they brown.
- Heat oven to 325 F. Add onion, garlic, and red pepper to Dutch oven. Sauté over medium heat, stirring until golden, about 3 minutes.
- Add salt, pepper, rice, and saffron. Cook, stirring, 10 minutes, until rice is lightly browned. Add tomatoes, chili pepper, and chicken broth to rice mixture. Add chicken. Bring to boiling.
- Bake, covered, 1 hour.
- Add ½ cup water. Sprinkle peas, olives, and pimiento strips over top; do not stir. Bake, covered, 20 minutes longer, or until chicken is tender and peas are cooked.
- Serve hot, right from the Dutch oven.
Saffron threads do the heaviest lifting in this dish, providing both a distinct earthy aroma and the bright golden hue characteristic of classic rice preparations. Steep the threads in a small amount of warm liquid beforehand if a more uniform color distribution is desired throughout the starch grains. Converted white rice is specified here because its parboiling process gelatinizes the starches inside the grain, making it remarkably resistant to the mushy textures that often plague long-simmering one-pot meals.
Adapting this recipe for different dietary needs requires minimal structural changes to the ingredient ratios. Olive oil provides the initial cooking fat, keeping the dish naturally free of dairy without altering the foundational flavor profile. Substitute the standard canned chicken broth with a robust vegetable stock and swap the poultry for firm root vegetables or plant-based proteins if a vegetarian variation is required, though the total cooking time may need slight adjustment to accommodate alternative density levels.
Scaling the portion size up or down demands strict attention to surface area within the cooking vessel. A heavy six-quart Dutch oven provides the precise thermal mass needed to distribute heat evenly during both the stovetop browning phase and the subsequent one-hour oven bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Doubling the recipe will overcrowd the pot, which prevents proper moisture evaporation and stops the rice from achieving the desired parched texture before the liquids are introduced.
Leftovers store safely in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days, though the rice will continue to absorb residual moisture over time. Reheat individual portions gently on the stovetop with a tablespoon of water added to restore the original grain separation and prevent scorching at the base of the pan.
