Go Back

Arroz con Pollo

A traditional Sunday meal traditionally served on special occasions or family gatherings. The entire dish is cooked in the same pot
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients
  

  • 2-3 lbs of chicken dark meat, skin on
  • 3 c of short grain/arborio/valencia rice
  • 1 onion
  • 1 green pepper
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1/2 c sour orange juice/marinade
  • 2 c chicken stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 small can of tomato sauce 8oz
  • a 12 oz beer
  • 2 c dry white cooking wine
  • 1/2 tsp Bijol or annatto powder
  • 1-2 threads of saffron
  • 1 small can of asparagus tips
  • 1 small can green peas
  • 1 small jar of pimentos
  • 1/2 c olive oil

Method
 

Make a sofrito
  1. Make a puree with the onion and green pepper and set aside.
Prepare the chicken
  1. There are two ways you can prepare the chicken. For optimal results and flavor, if you have the time, marinate the chicken in 1/2 c sour orange juice and 3 cloves of minced garlic first thing in the morning so it has several hours to soak in the flavors.
  2. Otherwise, brown the chicken pieces in a large pot with olive oil.
  3. Remove the chicken from the pot and continue with the recipe in the same pot.
  4. *Alternatively, you can pre-boil the chicken until cooked and reserve 2 cups of the stock to use in place of the chicken broth.
Finishing the recipe
  1. Add the sofrito to the pot with 3 cloves of garlic, minced.
  2. Sautee over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the tomato sauce, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper to the pot and stir thoroughly.
  4. Add chicken stock, white cooking wine, bay leaf, saffron threads and Bijol (or annatto powder).
  5. Add the cans of asparagus tips, peas and pimentos, including the liquid, to the pot.
  6. Add the chicken, then add the rice.
  7. Reduce heat to low/med-low and cook until most or all of the liquid has been absorbed, checking frequently to ensure the rice doesn't burn.
  8. Add the beer at the end of cooking for extra flavor.

Notes

Bijol is essential to proper coloring and flavoring of this dish. While you can find it on Amazon, it's twice the cost it should be. It is available for purchase at the Cuban Food Market website, who carries all the ingredients you need for traditional Cuban cooking.
Adapted from My mom