Arroz Con Pollo “His Way”

Arroz Con Pollo is one of the most popular chicken dishes in Cuba, Latin America and Spain. The flavorful rice is the star ingredient and is allowed to take prominence over the chicken in this traditional meal. While there are many very good versions of arroz con pollo prepared at home, if ordered in a restaurant it can often be bland and boring with gummy rice, overcooked chicken and dried up peas. Not so…the way my husband cooks arroz con pollo, “his way”.

Arroz Con Pollo, Delicious Rice With Chicken

“His way” of cooking is not to measure anything…he just adds a pinch of this and a little of that. I love his version of arroz con pollo because it has more kick than what I’ve tasted in many of the Cuban restaurants in South Florida where we once lived. He has made this meal for me for years and it is a real favorite of mine.  I asked him if he could pass along how he prepares his quick and easy version of arroz con pollo.

Arroz Con Pollo

This recipe serves two, adjust accordingly.

• One (3.5 oz.) bag of Success Boil-in-a bag rice *, which makes 2 cups of cooked rice

*Success Rice is a boil-in-a bag rice that can be prepared either on the stove or in the microwave. Cooking times and the amount of water you need to use can vary slightly, depending on the brand. Using less water and reducing your cooking time will result in a firmer rice. If you want a soft rice, add more water and increase the cooking time.

• 3 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces (1 large breast cut into pieces may be substituted)
• garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste for seasoning the chicken
• 2 Tbsp. more or less of olive oil
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 1 – 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 c. more or less of chicken broth
• 1/4 C. or to taste of Goya Mojo Criollo (You can find my recipe for mojo here)
• juice from 1/2 lime
• a couple of shakes of Tabasco or to taste
• approximately 1/4 tsp. each of garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 packet of Goya Sazón Azafrán Seasoning
• 1/2 c. frozen peas

Prepare rice according to package directions except cook it for only 6 minutes. While the rice is cooking, season the chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat, and cook the chicken pieces until brown and almost done, about 2 to 3 minutes. Be sure to not overcook at this point as the chicken will be cooked more later on. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the onion and peppers and cook until soft, add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, mojo, lime juice, and Tabasco. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 5 minutes, until slightly reduced then remove pan from heat. Once the rice is ready, return the pan with the vegetable mixture to the heat, add the chicken back to the pan and cook for about a minute. Add the rice, sprinkle with the Sazón seasoning and frozen peas,  mix well and cook a few minutes more. If it looks a little dry add more broth, if it looks soupy, cook for a few minutes more. Taste and adjust for seasoning, if necessary. When serving, you can garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley and serve with lime wedges on the side.

****

My husband says this is a quick and easy recipe and wishes you good luck if you try it. Since he doesn’t measure, he wanted to let you know that he gave me this recipe from memory and the ingredient amounts are approximate. He is sure that if you taste your dishes as you are cooking, you should be able to prepare a good version of arroz con pollo or a reasonable facsimile thereof. 😀

I’ve always considered it a special treat when my husband says he would like to prepare our evening meal. With my broken foot, I can no longer cook so he is now in charge of cooking all our meals. While I’m not happy about being in a cast and on crutches, I have to say that I’m very happy to be eating the delicious meals he has been putting on our table each night. If you get a chance to prepare arroz con pollo his way, I believe you will agree with me that I’m a lucky woman to have a sweet husband who is also a good cook.

**This is not a sponsored post and I am not being compensated in any way for mentioning specific products in this recipe. They are just products my husband likes and finds convenient for many recipes.