Colon Family Recipe – Arroz Con Pollo

INGREDIENTS

Brown 1 whole cut up chicken with 1 cup diced sauteed green pepper and 1 large diced Spanish onion and 1/4 cup diced garlic, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper.

Add 4 cups of liquid vegetable broth  to a large pot along with 2 cups of uncooked whole grain brown rice, 1 cooked cut up pimento, 1/2 cup green olives, 1/4 cup capers, 1 TBLS tomato paste and 1 TBLS saffron,  then add 1 can cooked (gondulas/pigeon peas, drained) [or peas and carrots (drained)]

Cover and simmer on medium heat, stirring occasionally until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed. Serve with black beans and chopped onions, cooked plantains on the side, pimentos and avocado slices. The chicken and rice with the black beans (home cooked or canned) are always better after the second day. It gives them time to absorb the spices and flavors. This is a great “make ahead” meal for two to three meals if you want to double the ingredients!

Now a few disclaimers/shortcuts: I occasionally add 2 Tablespoons of red and green Puerto Rican seasoning sauces to the rice and 1 Tablespoon of each to the beans (Easy-fast to use Goya green recaito and red sofrito) or make it ahead of time. See the recipe for my sofrito recipe below.

 Homemade Sofrito

• 1 red bell pepper (core)
• 2 large green bell peppers (core)
• 2 large Spanish onions
• 1 head of garlic, peeled
• 3 ahi dolce (or Amarillo or any sweet) perennial island peppers
• 1 medium bunch of cilantro (to taste)

Place in a blender and use, or store refrigerated for another day or two if it lasts as a side sauce …..Copyright Eliza March 2016