So a while back, I mentioned this dish in a comment and was asked to put it in a diary. I had to wait for cooler weather, as this is more of a wintertime dish, if only because it gets cooked inside and heats up the house too much. That last bit’s not a concern for everyone, but I wasn’t going to diary this until it was cool enough to make the dish and take some pictures. It’s another one of those recipes that I’ve accumulated over the years and no longer have any idea where I picked it up. So I can’t vouch for how “authentic” it is, I can only vouch for its deliciousness.
I like serving this with a simple bowl of fresh (or canned) fruit—mangos, pineapple, peaches are all solid choices. Watermelon is good, too—either plain or in a salad of some sort. Agua fresca is a good beverage to serve with this (see my summer drink diary); a Jarritos soda or a Negra Modelo beer are both good, too. This time around, I went with mango and Modelo.
A few notes on the dish itself:
--I use a mortar and pestle for mashing the garlic and salt; I had a small food processor, but it recently died after 30 years of use; use whatever you have that works for you
--the marinade is a somewhat runny paste, so I prefer to use a plate, rather than a bowl
--I prefer to use a cast iron pan for this one, but using something different shouldn’t make a difference
--this makes a lot, but you can easily cut it in half, as I did this time; just make sure to cut the cooking time down a bit (not in half!), and watch it carefully, so the liquid doesn’t evaporate too soon and burn the rice.
As I (almost) always do, I present the recipe as I originally got it.
ARROZ CON POLLO
For the chicken:
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons lime juice (1 lime)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
4 skinless chicken breasts
For the rice:
Black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, separated
3 ounces turkey or chicken sausage, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 medium onions, diced
3 scallions, green and white parts, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 t oregano
4–5 plum tomatoes, chopped finely
2 cups rice
2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley (optional)
In a large bowl, mash garlic and salt into a paste; add lime juice and oregano; add chicken and stir to coat; cover with plastic wrap; let sit 1-2 hours.
Season chicken with freshly ground pepper on both sides; heat a large skillet over medium heat and warm 2 T olive oil; cook the chicken about 3 minutes each side until lightly browned; transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
Warm remaining 1 T olive oil over medium heat and cook sausage until lightly brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side; place on plate with chicken; reduce heat to low and add onions and scallions; cook until soft and tender, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan, about 2 minutes; add garlic and cook for 1 more minute; add paprika, oregano, tomatoes; cook until soft and tender, about 4-5 minutes; add rice and stir well; add broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low; add chicken and sausage; cover and cook gently until rice has absorbed all the liquid, about 20-30 minutes. Top with parsley, if desired.
Bon appétit, tout le monde!
