Arroz con Pollo with Salsa Verde
Prep: 25 min | Cook: 75 min | Servings: 6
Television Food Network, 2001.
Inactive prep: 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 Chicken, 3-pound whole chicken, cut into 10 serving pieces
- 4 tbsp Olive oil, divided
- Salt
- Black pepper, freshly ground
- 4 tsp Ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tbsp Oregano, dried
- 2 tsp Sweet paprika
- 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
- 2 Chorizo, dried (about 1 1/4 pounds), cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 Onion, Spanish, chopped
- 2 clove Garlic, minced
- 1 Red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2 Bay leaf
- 2 cup Long grain rice, white
- 1 can Diced tomatoes, 15-ounce, with liquid
- 3 cup Chicken broth, low-sodium, warm
- 1 cup Green olives, pimento-stuffed
- 1 Jalapeno, seeded and minced, for the salsa verde
- 1/4 cup Cilantro, fresh leaves, for the salsa verde
- 1/4 cup Almond, blanched, toasted, for the salsa verde
- 1/2 cup Olive oil, for the salsa verde
- 1 Lime, juiced, for the salsa verde
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Rinse the chicken pieces and pat dry. In a small bowl, blend 2 tablespoons oil, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, paprika and cayenne. Rub each piece of chicken with the spice paste and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes for the flavor to develop.
- In a heavy, ovenproof casserole with a lid, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Fry the chorizo over medium heat until it is crispy and renders its fat. Remove the chorizo with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Place the chicken in the pan, skin side down, and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Make a sofrito by sauteing the onion, garlic, bell pepper and bay leaves until the vegetables are very soft and almost dissolved. Stir in the rice so the grains are well coated.
- Add the tomatoes and broth and season with salt and pepper. Return the chorizo and chicken to the pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Cover and transfer the pot to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is done and the rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid. Scatter the olives on top before serving.
- To prepare the salsa verde: in a mortar and pestle or food processor, mash together all the salsa verde ingredients to form a loose paste. Garnish the arroz con pollo with the salsa verde before serving.