Arroz Con Pollo (Chicken And Rice)

Recipe Ingredients

		Olive oil
10		Garlic cloves - finely chopped, divided
7		Green onions - finely chopped, divided
1 pinch		Cilantro - chopped, divided
3 1/2 teaspoons	17ml	Dried tarragon - crushed, divided
		Salt
16		Chicken thighs and/or drumettes (medium) (meaty portion of wings)
1 cup	237ml	Dry or semidry white wine
		Ground white pepper
		Ground black pepper
4		Goya/Knorr Sazon seasoning, With coriander and annatto - (17 ounces) or more
2		Chicken bouillon - (or 2 cubes) - or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon	2.5ml	Ground cumin - or less to taste, divided
1 packet		Frozen peas - (8 oz) - thawed
6		Spanish chorizo sausages (available at Latin groceries and some supermarkets)
5		Red bell peppers - (to 6) - cut lengthwise Into 1/2" slices
15 1/2 cups	2480g / 87oz	Uncooked rice
1/2		Pimiento-stuffed green olives - or to taste (half a 9 1/2-ounce jar)

Recipe Instructions

In a 10-quart pot, heat 1/2 cup oil over medium heat. Add 6 cloves chopped garlic; saute for 2 minutes. Add 4 chopped green onions, 3 or 4 sprigs chopped cilantro, 2 teaspoons tarragon and a few dashes of salt. Saute 2 minutes longer. Add chicken; cook for 4 minutes on each side. Add wine; let simmer for 1 minute. Sprinkle lightly with black and white pepper. Add 2 packets of Sazon, 1 packet of chicken bouillon and 1/4 teaspoon of cumin; stir thoroughly. Add 11 cups of water; salt to taste.

Let simmer until chicken is firm but tender, up to 50 minutes. Check frequently; the water should always be above the chicken. If you add water, taste broth for flavor and add more Sazon or salt if needed. Remove chicken from pot; transfer broth to a separate container. You should have 9 cups. If you have less, add water to make up the difference.

While the chicken is cooking, cook the peas for 1 minute in a small amount of water. Add 1/2 clove of garlic and a couple of dashes of salt. Remove from heat; set aside.

Cut chorizo into 1/4-inch round slices; saute lightly in their own fat. Drain chorizo on paper towels. Set aside. Do not discard fat in pan.

Add a little bit of oil to fat in pan; saute red peppers for 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.

Add 1/4 cup (or more if needed) oil to the 10-quart pot; heat over medium heat. Add remaining 3 1/2 cloves chopped garlic, remaining 3 chopped green onions, 3 sprigs cilantro, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons tarragon, a couple of dashes of white and black pepper, 2 Sazon packets, 1 packet chicken bouillon and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cumin. Saute for 2 minutes; add the rice and saute for 1 minute, stirring continuously.

Add chicken and reserved broth. Salt to taste; stir well. Let simmer, covered, over medium heat for 15 minutes. Reduce heat; remove lid and cook 5 to 10 minutes. If rice is undercooked, add more broth or water, replace lid and cook until rice is tender. If necessary, add Sazon and salt to taste. Be careful not to add more broth/water than needed. When done, arroz con pollo should be tender and moist, but not juicy or watery.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the rice and chicken in a large baking pan. Drain olives; add to pan along with peas and chorizo. Mix gently. Top with red peppers. Heat in oven for 5 minutes before serving.

Source:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - 11-23-1998

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