Cuban-Spiced Chicken Thighs with Chorizo and Rice

Ingredients:

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro stems
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp finely grated lime peel
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp chopped seeded jalapeno chile
2 tsp Hungarian sweet paprika
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground allspice
10 chicken thighs with skin and bone (about 4 1/2 lbs)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb fully cooked Spanish chorizo or Portuguese lingua sausage links, cut into 1/4-inch thick rounds
2 cups finely chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups arborio rice or short-grain white rice
2 1/2 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
2 medium tomatoes, diced
2 tsp Hungarian sweet paprika
1/4 tsp saffron threads
1 canned piquillo pepper or 1 whole canned pimiento, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
Lime wedges

Instructions:

Whisk first 11 ingredients in medium bowl for marinade. Place chicken in large resealable plastic bag and add marinade. Seal bag and turn several times to coat chicken. Refrigerate chicken at least 4 hours and up to 1 day, turning bag occasionally. Using tongs, transfer chicken from bag to plate, allowing excess marinade to drip back into bag. Reserve marinade.

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in heavy large wide pot over medium heat. Add chorizo and saute until beginning to brown and fat begins to render,about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer chorizo to medium bowl. Increase heat to medium-high. Add half of chicken, skin side down, to pot. Saute until brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Pour off all but 3 Tbsp fat from pot. Discard excess fat. Add chopped onions, and saute 4 minutes, scrapping up any browned bits. Add chopped bell pepper and chopped garlic. Saute until onions are translucent, about 2 minutes. Mix in rice, stirring to blend with vegetables. Add 2 1/2 cups broth, tomatoes with any juice, paprika, saffron, and reserved marinade. Bring to boil, stirring to blend. Return chicken, chorizo, and any accumulated juice to pot, pressing chicken partially into rice.

Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Arrange piquillo pepper strips over chicken pieces. Cover and continue to simmer until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if rice is dry, about 10 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer rice and chicken to large shallow bowl. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges and serve.

Serves 6.

From Bon Appetit, January 2007.