Y's Kitchen: Cuban Style Chicken and Rice (Arroz con Pollo)

Ingredients Needed

• Optional: Beer (creates flavor)
• Alternative: Cooking Wine
• Broth: Chicken broth, chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water
• Olive oil
• Black pepper
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Key Spice: Cumin
• Oregano
• Bay leaves
• Sazon Goya with saffron (for coloring)
• Achiote (for rice tinting)
• Alternative Rice: Use yellow rice or regular rice tinted
• Tomato sauce
• Salt
• Pimentos (sliced or whole and cut)
• Sofrito (contains cilantro, culantro, green pepper, etc.)
• Meat: Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• Rice (Jasmine, Pearl, pre-made yellow, or burgo rice)
• Sweet peas (optional)

Preparation Steps

Seasoning the Chicken

1. Butterfly Chicken Thighs: Speeds up the cooking process.
2. Seasoning:
   • Onion powder
   • Garlic powder
   • Black pepper
   • Himalayan pink salt
   • Chicken bouillon
   • Sazon Goya with saffron
3. Season chicken on both sides to ensure even flavor distribution.
4. Room Temperature: Ensure meat is at room temperature before cooking.

Cooking Process

1. Initial Cooking:
   • Heat oil in a deep Dutch pot.
   • Place chicken skin-side down to brown, not fully cook.
   • Achieve a golden brown color;
   • Remove chicken from the pot.
2. Building the Base:
   • Onions: Sweat them out for about a minute or two.
   • Sofrito: Add and stir well.
   • Garlic: Add last to avoid burning.
   • Seasoning: Continue with garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, black pepper.
   • Tomato Sauce: Add a 7 oz can.
   • Deglaze: Use a splash of cooking wine.
   • Bay leaves: Add two bay leaves.
   • Coloring: Add a bit of achiote for tinting.
3. Rice Preparation:
   • Clean Rice: Add 3 cups of washed rice to the pot and stir to coat with the base.
   • Tint rice with the base in the pot.
4. Liquids and Flavoring:
   • Beer: Slowly add room temperature beer like Budweiser.
   • Broth: Add chicken broth to achieve desired consistency.
5. Combining Ingredients:
   • Return chicken to the pot.
   • Add Pimentos last (if used).

Cooking the Rice

1. Boiling: Let it come to a boil.
2. Simmering: Cover and reduce to low heat.
3. Final Additions:
   • Add sweet peas and pimentos after the boil for flavor and decoration.
4. Steaming Adjustments: Use foil if necessary to retain steam.

Final Dish

• The rice will be moister than traditional chicken and rice.
• Should not be too soupy unless preferred.
• Serving Tip: Pair with a portion of chicken and pimento garnished rice.

Notes

• It's okay to miss steps; adjust as needed.
• Optional green olives can be included based on preference.

Additional Information

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