Description
Arroz Con Pollo is a delicious comforting Spanish casserole of chicken, yellow rice, and vegetables in a flavorful tomato-saffron sauce. It makes a wonderful family meal, all cooked in one pot.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 pounds of chicken parts with skin and bones. Cut breast and thighs in half or into thirds if you like smaller pieces. Trim off excess fat and skin.
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika (sweet, not hot)
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped (2 cups)
- 5 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced (2 1/2 tablespoons)
- 1/2 of a red bell pepper, seeded, ribs removed, chopped
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes (roughly chop tomatoes or tear by hand before adding)
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
- 2 cups white rice, rinsed
- 10 ounces frozen peas, defrosted
- 4 ounce jar of sliced pimientos
- Optional Garnish:
- 1/3 cup green pimiento-stuffed olives, sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF
- Season chicken with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of paprika, and several grinds of pepper
- In a large heavy oven-ready pot or dutch oven with a lid, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Brown chicken in batches. Don't overcrowd the pot or the chicken won't brown nicely. Sauté the chicken pieces for about 3 minutes skin side down and a minute or two on the other side. Set browned chicken aside on a plate as you go.
- When all the chicken is browned, pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pot. Lower the heat to medium. Add onion, garlic and bell pepper. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and simmer for 30 seconds, stirring to release any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add tomatoes and their liquid, broth, bay leaf, oregano and remaining teaspoon of salt. To get full flavor from the saffron, either crush it in a mortar and pestle before adding it or hold your hands over pot and rub the saffron threads between your fingers or the palms of your hands and let them fall into the pot. (your hands will be yellow but it will come off with soap and water). Add the rice. Stir everything together. Bring the pot to a boil. Lower it to a simmer. Cover and simmer the rice for 4 minutes.
- Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot. Tuck the chicken pieces down into the sauce and rice so they are completely immersed. Bring the pot back to a simmer. Cover it and put it in the middle of the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the pot from the oven and stir in the peas. Arrange the pimientos on top. Cover and bake for 10 minutes longer.
- Serve hot, garnished with olives and cilantro, if you like.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dinner
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: Spanish