Arroz con Pollo
Serves 4 to 6
This is a must in your repertoire, especially if you’re clueless about how many people will be at your dinner table. I can’t tell you how many times I find myself in this situation. A son or two brings home a friend or two, and the next thing I know every grain of rice has been scarfed up. The rice is infused with a delicious chicken flavor, so it’ll stretch one bird into a truly bountiful and satisfying meal. If the dinner crowd is small, it reheats beautifully as leftovers. It’s no wonder there are so many versions of it throughout Spain, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Nothing could be as easy to make, delicious, and universally satisfying as this one-pot dish. All you really need is some fat, chicken, salt, rice, and liquid, then just layer in any other extra ingredients that you might have on hand. Don’t be afraid to cook it a little longer if the rice is still too moist after 40 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
- One 3- to 4-pound chicken, cut into 16 pieces (see opposite)
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 small carrots, chopped
- 2 small celery stalks, chopped
- ½ green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 cups white or brown rice
- ½ cup pimento-stuffed green olives, sliced
- ¹⁄³ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for serving
- 5 cups chicken broth or water
DIRECTIONS
- Season the chicken pieces all over with 1 teaspoon of the salt and black pepper. Heat a large skillet (or two smaller ones, or cook in batches) over high heat. Swirl in enough oil to coat the bottom of the skillet. When the oil shimmers, place the chicken in the skillet, skin side down; you should hear an immediate sizzle. (Don’t crowd the chicken in the pan—keeping space around each piece will ensure that the meat browns instead of steaming.) Don’t move the chicken pieces; it takes a couple of minutes to sear the chicken so it doesn’t stick. Brown on all sides, about 10 minutes per batch. Regulate the heat so it stays high but does not burn the meat. Remove the chicken from the pan.
- Add the onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and bell pepper to the skillet. Sauté until the onion is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes, adding the cumin and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in the last few minutes. Add the rice, stirring to combine it completely with the vegetables. Stir in the olives and cilantro.
- Pour in the broth. Nestle the chicken pieces around the skillet, amid the rice. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until the chicken is tender and the rice is cooked through, about 40 minutes (add 15 minutes if using brown rice).
PANTRY
Need help with the ingredients? Check our pantry list:
