Arroz con Pollo
Here’s what you’ll need:
1 cup basmati rice
1 lb chicken (could be white or dark meat, or a combination)
1 Tbsp cooking oil of choice (I used butter)
Either: 1/2 cup tomato sauce OR 1/4 cup tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp cumin (divided)
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp coriander
1 1/4 cup boiling water
S & P
Here’s what you’ll do:
1. Dice chicken into cubes. Season with salt, pepper, and 1/2 tsp cumin.
2. Melt butter or oil in a shallow pan over medium heat. Place chicken in pan and cook until it has cooked through.
3. Remove chicken from pan, but leave the fat. (If most of the fat has evaporated, you’ll want to add more.)
4. OPTIONAL: Saute onion until it is translucent, then push to the sides of the pan.
5. Allow rice to toast in the chicken drippings, approximately 5 minutes, stirring often.
6. While rice toasts, boil 1 and 1/2 cup water (you can use the microwave for this – it’s okay, that’s how I boil water, too!)
7. Pour boiling water over rice. Add tomato sauce/paste, remaining 1 tsp cumin, oregano, coriander. Place chicken back in pan. Stir once.
8. Cover pan. Let simmer until rice is cooked through – about 20 minutes.
9. OPTIONAL: stir in frozen peas during the final 5 minutes of cooking.
Makes 4 servings.
Feel free to stir in plenty of your favorite cheese – jack, pepper jack, mizithra. Cheddar is less authentic but still tastes great melted on top.
