Hilda’s “Cuban Arroz con Pollo” (Chicken with Rice)
Serves: 6-8
1 whole chicken, cut into smaller segments
4 cloves crushed garlic
Cooking wine — enough to cover chicken
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ medium onion, chopped
½ medium green pepper, chopped
½ medium yellow onion chopped
½ medium green bell pepper chopped
8 oz. canned tomato sauce (Goya brand preferred)*
1 Bay leaf
½ cup cooking wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 packet of Sazon Goya (With coriander and annatto )*
2 cups of rice
16 ounces of beer (not dark beer, but any brand)
3 cups of water
For garnish: pimentos, bell peppers, peas
Season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper and crushed garlic; marinate the chicken in cooking wine (overnight if possible, or at least 2 hours).
Discard the wine the chicken marinated in, but reserve the garlic. In a deep pan, heat the vegetable oil. When oil is very hot add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes until chicken starts turning golden color (leave chicken uncooked inside).
Remove the chicken and place on paper towel to dry.
In the same oil, add the onion, bell pepper, tomato sauce, bay leaf, and reserved garlic.
Saute 3-to-5 minutes, until medium soft.
Add the chicken to this mix (called the “sofrito”),
While keeping flame or temperature at medium level, add the cooking wine, chicken broth, and 1 packet of Goya Sazon .
Cover and simmer the chicken in this mixture for 8-10 minutes.
Add to the chicken: the rice, beer and water.
Cover and simmer until the rice is cooked (approx. 15-20 minutes)
Note: the rice will cook before all the juice is evaporated — once the rice grains are tender, turn off the heat, cover the pan and leave covered for 10 minutes before serving.
Arroz con pollo Cubano is not finished if the garnish is not included.
Garnish with strips of red bell peppers from a jar (pimento), strips of sautéed green bell peppers and canned peas.
* Available at Food City stores and Lee Lee International Supermarket, 1990 W. Orange Grove Road.
