The best way to get through winter storm Fern was to get into the kitchen to make winter foods like chili, and chicken soup. It was also a great time to learn another Cuban classic from mom – Arroz con pollo.
At 97, mom doesn’t cook much anymore. Not because she doesn’t want to. She loves cooking. But her severely arthritic hands don’t function like they used to, so lifting pots and pans are arduous tasks and getting burned is another issue.
Also, the older she gets, the more she seems to shrink in size. She can no longer reach the temperature control nobs for the stove tops and using kitchen tongs for that is not safe.
So, as we hunkered in for another weekend of freezing temperature I defrosted some chicken thighs. A few were made into chicken soup, and three thighs were used in this recipe to make chicken and rice. It’s easy to make and takes about an hour from start to finish.
You’ll need:
- Mojo
- 3-4 chicken thighs
- ½ sliced green pepper
- ½ sliced red pepper
- ½ cup sweet peas (drained)
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 Sazon packet
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- A handful of Spanish olives (6-8 olives)
- 1 Teaspoon of capers
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cups of rice
- 1 glass of white wine
- 4 cups of water
- 1 cup of chicken stock
The night before we marinated the thighs in mojo. Using a large pot, set stove top burner to medium high and place all the wet and dry ingredients, except the peas and rice, into the pot. Let that come to a boil, add the rice and reduce the heat to medium low.
Stir well to make sure the rice is combined with the liquids. The liquid will begin to reduce as the rice cooks. It could take anywhere between 45 minutes to an hour for the rice and chicken to be done. Monitor periodically and stir frequently to avoid the rice sticking to the bottom.
The peas are optional, but they can be tossed in 15 minutes before serving. The rice should be tender but stay somewhat moist and slightly sticky. You can add a little more water or chicken stock if needed to get the right consistency.
Before serving I prefer to remove the thigh bones and skin from the meat but it’s not necessary to do so.
Traditionally, a pinch of Saffron was used and that is how the rice got that bright yellow color. But Saffron is extremely expensive and using the Sazon packet, turmeric and paprika adds the yellowish color to the rice.
Do you have a favorite recipe? Let me know. Email me at: PattyL@brewermediagroup.com