Chicken and Rice (Arroz Con Pollo)

Tender chicken served on top of rice cooked with paprika, sofrito and olives for the ultimate spanish comfort food!

This has to be one of our favorite Spanish inspired meals

And the best part is it is truly a 1 pot dinner!

There is so much flavor in this dish that I’m sure it will be a dinnertime favorite!

We have 8 bone in thighs, so that’s what I’m going to use

Here we are skinning the thighs and trimming any excess fat off of them

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Repeat with the rest

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Once they are all cleaned up sprinkle the thighs generously with kosher salt and ground black pepper

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In a large pan heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil until nice and hot

You want to see it start to smoke just a bit

Place the thighs in the pan, remember to season the other side with salt and pepper, let these sear a good 6-8 minutes

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Give them a flip and sear another 4-6 minutes

Remove them from the pan and set aside for now

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Next we will need 1 large onion chopped, 4 garlic cloves chopped, 1/3 cup of sofrito, 3/4 cup of sliced Spanish olives, 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of adobo powder, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne

What is sofrito?

Sofrito is a sauce that is found in Latin and Spanish dishes consisting of but not limited to bell peppers, onions, garlic, jalapeno pepper, tomato paste, oil and seasonings.  After all of the ingredients are cooked down they are pureed and generally used as base for extra flavor in many dishes such as chicken and rice, rice and beans, Spanish rice, and of course arroz con pollo

Click on our link to make homemade Sofrito

Note:  The 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne is going to give this dish a nice kick, add more or less depending on your spice tolerance

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Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the pan the chicken was cooked in

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Add in the onions and garlic

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Cook,  stirring occasionally until the onions are tender and translucent, about 6-8 minutes

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Add in the olives

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Stir to combine and cook for 1-2 minutes

Add in the sofrito

Stir to combine and cook 1-2 minutes

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Next add in the spices

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Mix together

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Next we will need 2 cups of long grain rice like Jasmine and 4 cups of good chicken stock

Click our link to make your own Homemade Chicken Stock

Note:  Heat the chicken stock prior to adding so it doesn’t stop the cooking process of the rice

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Add in the rice

Mix the ingredients together and cook for 2-3 minutes toasting the rice slightly to add extra flavor to the dish

Next add in the chicken stock and stir to combine

Nestle the chicken back into the pan

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Cover and place over medium heat

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Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30-35 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed, the rice is cooked and the chicken is tender

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While that’s cooking, let’s work on a garnish

We will need 1 whole roasted red bell pepper, skinned, seeded and sliced into strips as well as 1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh parsley

Click on our link to make your own Roasted Red Bell Peppers

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This next step is optional

We like to crisp the chicken up a bit so we place it on a sheet pan and under the broiler for about 2 minutes keeping an eye on it

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While the chicken is crisping up add the peppers and parsley to the rice

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Top with the chicken and serve family style!!!

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Enjoy!!!

Simply Sundays! ~ Chicken and Rice (Arroz Con Pollo)

  • Servings: 4-8
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Print

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of olive oil

8 skinned, bone in, chicken thighs

kosher salt

ground black pepper

2 tablespoons of butter

1 large onion

4 garlic cloves

3/4 cup sliced Spanish olives

1/3 cup of Sofrito

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon each cumin, adobo powder, kosher salt and ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

2 cups of long grain rice (Jasmine)

4 cups of chicken stock

1 roasted red bell pepper sliced into strips

1/4 chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Skin the chicken thighs, trim off any excess fat, then sprinkle with kosher salt and ground black pepper

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan until just smoking, place the chicken in the pan and sear 6-8 minutes.  Remember to season the other side.  Flip the chicken and sear another 4-6 minutes, remove from the pan and set aside

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the pan.  Chop 1 onion and 4 garlic cloves and add them to the pan.  Cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are tender and translucent, about 6-8 minutes.  Add in 3/4 cup of sliced Spanish olives.  Stir to combine and cook for 1-2 minutes

Add in 1/3 cup of sofrito.  Stir to combine and cook 1-2 minutes.  Next add in 1 tablespoon of  paprika, 1 teaspoon each of cumin, adobo powder, kosher salt, ground black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.  Mix together

Stir in 2 cups of long grain rice such as Jasmine.  Cook for 2-3 minutes toasting the rice slightly to add extra flavor to the dish.  Add in 4 cups of heated chicken stock.  Stir to combine

Nestle the chicken back into the pan.  Cover and place over medium heat.  Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30-35 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed the rice is cooked and the chicken is tender

This next step is optional.  Remove the chicken to a sheet pan and crisp under the broiler for 2 minutes keeping an eye on it

Skin, seed and slice 1 whole roasted red bell pepper and finely chop 1/4 cup of fresh parsley.  Mix this in with the rice.  Top with the chicken and serve family style

Tools used to make this recipe

ZELITE INFINITY Chef Knife 8 inch

Architec Carving Board, Gripperwood

Wilton Recipe Right Non-stick Cookie Sheet Set, 2-Piece

Anchor Hocking 8 Cup Measuring Cup Glass Batter Bowl with Spout

Cooks Standard Multi-Ply Clad Stainless Steel Tagine and Extra Glass Lid, 4.5-Quart

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