Arroz con Pollo

Arroz con Pollo is the great comfort dish of the Cuban home — a one-pot feast where chicken and rice cook together in a sofrito-based broth tinted gold by sazón and annatto. Every Cuban family has their version; some add beer, others a splash of wine, all of them add generous love. It is the dish that appears at every gathering, feeding everyone from a single pot.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks)
• 400 g (2 cups) long-grain white rice
• 1 medium white onion, finely diced
• 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 400 g (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 750 ml (3 cups) chicken stock
• 250 ml (1 cup) lager beer or dry white wine
• 2 tsp (8 g) ground cumin
• 1.5 tsp (5 g) smoked paprika
• 1 tsp (3 g) annatto (achiote) powder or sazón seasoning
• 2 bay leaves
• 120 g (½ cup) pimiento-stuffed green olives, sliced
• 80 g (½ cup) frozen peas
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh coriander or parsley, to serve

Instructions

1. Season the chicken generously with salt, pepper, cumin, and paprika. Heat the olive oil in a large, wide, heavy pot (caldero) or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken in batches, 4-5 minutes per side, until deeply golden. Remove and set aside.
2. Reduce heat to medium. In the same pot, sauté the onion and bell peppers in the chicken fat for 8-10 minutes until soft.
3. Add the garlic and annatto and cook for 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until the sauce deepens.
4. Return the chicken to the pot. Pour in the beer and stock, add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes.
5. Remove the chicken. Rinse the rice and add it to the broth — the liquid should be about 3-4 cm (1.5 in) above the rice. Return the chicken pieces on top of the rice.
6. Cover tightly and cook over the lowest heat for 20-25 minutes without lifting the lid until the rice is cooked and has absorbed the broth.
7. Scatter over the olives and peas, cover for 5 minutes to heat through. Remove bay leaves.
8. Serve directly from the pot, garnished with fresh herbs.

Cook's Notes: The caldero — a heavy aluminium pot — is traditional and conducts heat beautifully. A cast-iron Dutch oven is the best substitute. The rice should develop a light golden crust on the bottom, called socarrat in Spain or pegao in Cuba — it is a sign of a well-made pot.