Arroz con pollo
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lbs), patted dry
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced into ½-inch pieces
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- ½ cup diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup pitted green olives, halved
- ½ tsp saffron threads, steeped in 2 tbsp hot water for 5 minutes
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Season chicken thighs generously on both sides with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches, sear chicken skin-side down for 4-5 minutes until golden brown, then flip and sear another 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and add diced onion. Cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in diced red bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add rice and stir constantly for 2 minutes to lightly toast the grains, coating them evenly with oil.
- Pour in diced tomatoes and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add chicken broth, saffron with its steeping water, ground cumin, and remaining ¼ tsp salt. Stir well to combine. Return chicken thighs skin-side up to the skillet, nestling them into the rice mixture.
- Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil (about 2 minutes). Reduce heat to low, cover tightly with a lid, and simmer for 18-20 minutes until rice is nearly tender and liquid is mostly absorbed.
- Scatter frozen peas and green olives over the rice. Cover and cook for another 3-4 minutes until peas are heated through and rice is fully tender with a slight bite. The rice should have absorbed all liquid.
- Remove from heat and let sit covered for 3 minutes. Fluff rice gently with a fork, being careful not to break up the chicken. Garnish generously with fresh cilantro and serve directly from the skillet.
Inspired by Mia Castro’s winning arroz con pollo. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.