Arroz con Pollo

Growing up, dinner was usually a predictable affair. We knew that the food would be Indian, there would be some sort of protein, usually in curried form, at least one vegetable, salad — all served with, as always, rice. I say this not as a bad thing, as there was usually plenty of variety within the different “categories,” almost too much variety for a picky discerning eater like myself. Rather, I say this because in my lifetime, I’ve eaten a LOT of rice.

The funny thing is, I’ve never actually made rice myself. Usually there’s a mom or an aunt or a sister or a dad or a neighbor or a stranger around to make it for me — to make sure that the ratio of water to rice is correct, that the rice doesn’t overboil or become mushy or scorch or any of the millions of other issues that can arise while cooking rice. I’m not a huge fan of it anyway, and in my grownup life, have branched out to different grains.

But last week, hampered by a fierce craving for arroz con pollo, a Latin American chicken and rice dish, I decided to make my first batch of rice while also cooking chicken, chorizo, peppers, tomatoes, garlic and onion in the same pot. While traditional versions of arroz con pollo include beer and annato in the recipe, and do not rely so heavily on tomatoes, this Food and Wine version offered the stewy, hearty magic I needed to warm up on these *shudder* wintry nights.

Unfortunately, the use of a very large pot on a small, less-than-satisfactory stove led to many rice-cooking issues. While the rice in the middle of the pot cooked in the suggested 25-minute time range, the rice on the sides of the pot remained raw, and took close to an hour to cook. The chicken also cooked unevenly, since the heat from the tiny burner didn’t distribute well under the large pot. If you too have a, shall we say ghetto, stove, I would check the arroz con pollo every 15 minutes or so, to stir the pot and make sure everything cooks evenly.

Cooking issues aside, this recipe made me actually miss rice. The act of eating stewy, saucy chicken reminded me of home-cooked chicken curries and the Spanish-influenced flavors (helped along by a generous helping of chorizo) made me miss Madrid once again. It’s slightly sweet, garlicky and tomato-y, with little bites of salty, spicy goodness scattered throughout. I’ve got leftovers for days, and, in a strange twist of fate for this leftover-averse gal*, I’m kind of really excited to eat them.

*My dislike for leftovers stems exclusively from the fact that we have no microwave in my new apartment. Thus, reheating food requires the use of a pan or pot, then the washing of said pan or pot. Not. Fun.

Note: I’m currently on my way to San Francisco (oh the magic of the Interwebs) for the 2011 FoodBuzz Festival / to see the fabulous Milan. I’m sure I’ll be doing lots of eating and learning and photo-taking, and I can’t wait to share with you all once I get back!

Arroz con Pollo
Adapted from Food and Wine

– 1 tablespoon olive oil

– 8 skinless chicken thighs

– salt and pepper, to taste

– 2 ounces Spanish chorizo, casings removed and cut into 1/4-inch dice

– 1 small onion, chopped

– 2 cloves garlic, minced

– 1 red bell pepper, chopped

– 1 green bell pepper, chopped

– 1 15-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped

– 1 tablespoon tomato paste

– 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock

– 1 cup long-grain rice

1) In a large soup pot, heat the oil on medium high. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides, and then cook until well-browned, turning once. Set aside and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan.

2) Reduce the heat to medium low and add the chorizo, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to become translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the bell peppers and cook an additional 3 minutes, until the peppers start to soften.

3) Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, and more salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and stir in the rice. Add the chicken in an even layer. Simmer, partially covered, over moderately low heat until the chicken and rice are just done, 25-30 minutes. (Or, if your stove is like mine, check and stir every 15-20 minutes and expect a longer cooking time.)

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