Arroz con Pollo

Ah. ha.haa another food stretcher

This is a Puerto Rican...very americanized...recipe for Chicken and Rice, so it is going to used one of my favorite things....Sofrito!!!
Alright here we go...

3 Tblsp extra virgin olive oil
1 chicken (2-3 pounds)*
1/2 cup flour
salt (to taste)
freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Paprika (to taste)

For the rice:
2 Tblsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups chicken stock
1 Tblsp tomato paste
pinch oregano
1 Tsp salt
sofrito (to taste)**


Good ol' Step one:
Heat 3 Tblsp olive oil in large pan on medium high heat. In a bowl mix flour, salt, pepper, and paprika. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture and put into the pan to brown. Cook a few minutes on each side, then remove the chicken and set aside.

Step 2:***
Add rice to the pan to brown and a little more oil to coat the rice, let the rice brown then add the onion and garlic. Cook for about 4 minutes then place in the chicken skin side up. In another bowl mix together stock, tomato paste, salt, and oregano. Pour the stock mixture over the rice and chicken. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cover.****
Let cook for 20 -25 minutes, depending on the type of rice and how soft you like it and until the chicken it done.

Alright now for the stars:
*now the recipe says use a whole chicken, but then youve got to chop it up and do all that tedious stuff (and i only like white meat) and sometimes i just dont feel like it....so i use whole boneless, skinless, chicken breast that I slice into thick strips. If you cut them too thin then they will get dry.

**Now there is a recipe for sofrito that is very nice, but if you dont have the freezer space or you dont think you will be using it very often then its not a good idea to make it. I like to substitute the tomato based Sofrito that comes straight out of a jar.

***ok the stars by step 2 are only there because this recipe for rice is good but I just like to substitute the Spanish Rice recipe from Miss Samantha, not only is it quicker and uses less ingerdients, but I can make that sucker extra spicy if I wanted to. but keep in mind substituting the recipe means keeping a closer eye on your food. I would still keep that chicken broth ready so that you dont run out of liquid while your rice and chicken are cooking.

****I cover all of my large pan rice dishes with aluminum foil, I think it helps the rice come out more fluffy. And I find you get way less over burn (when the water from the rice boils over and burns onto you stove top)


Now just experiment, and Enjoy

Feel free to leave a comment in the box Be-low

"Spanish" Rice

Or just Rice, hey. I've used this recipe, ever since Miss Samantha gave it to me, when I'm feeling the need to stretch food. I companion it to almost anything. Eggs or turkey sausage for breakfast, whatever ive got defrosted for lunch, and more than likely chicken for dinner, or hey even by itself, whatever you like. Anyway its little ingredients that go a long way.

1 medium tomato
1 hot jalapeno (or three mild green chillies)
1/2 can tomato sauce
1 cube boullion (chicken and tomato) *
1 cup white rice
1 tablespoon oil**
2 cups water
1 key lime (optional)

On the cheese grater:
Grate the bullion cube and place in a seperate container
Then grate the tomato and jalapenos

Place oil and rice in a frying pan (a high lipped pan)
Brown rice over medium  fire stirring constantly until it is a yellowish brown
stir in the rice boullion with the yellow/ brown rice. turn burner to low flame
squeeze in key lime and stir
stir in the tomato sauce and simmer for 1 minute
stir in grated tomato and jalapeno mix and simmer for 1 minute
stir in 1/2 cup of water and simmer until water is almost gone
stir in remaining water to cook the rice to a fluffy but not sticky grain. (over medium flame) (cover with an alluminum sheet)***




*after playing with this recipe a few times see what you like i use half chicken boullion cube and half a package of sazon with Azafran
**you can use vegetable oil but i like extra virgin olive oil
***the reason for an alluminum sheet instead of a regular lid is, i find it helps the rice cook more fluffly so you dont get those raw rice bits

Now i like my rice a little more spicy so my peppers differ, but this recipe should not be too spicy for anyone.

Enjoy, and feel free to leave a comment in the box be-low