Arroz Con Pollo II
This chile pepper is often mislabeled ‘Pasilla’, which is a different pepper entirely.It is one of the most popular chiles in Mexico and has won the appreciation of many a chef worldwide because of the superior flavor it has over regular bell peppers.
They have a tough outer skin that usually requires roasting and peeling before use. These very large chile peppers are most popular in chiles rellenos recipes, but cooking with these as a substitute for bell peppers in any recipe will enhance the flavor.
Ingredients:
For the Chicken:
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon onion powder or granulated onion
1 teaspoon garlic powder or granulated garlic
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
flour for dredging chicken
1/4 cup olive oil
For the Rice:
2 cups rice
1 large poblano pepper, seeded and diced
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups peeled and seeded, diced fresh tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric or a pinch of saffron threads
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 chopped pimento-stuffed green Spanish olives
cilantro, optional for garnish or minced and stirred into rice prior to serving
lime wedges, optional to be squeezed for juice over the rice and chicken
Instructions:
Rinse chicken pieces under cool water, removing extra fat and any extra skin. Don’t remove the skin completely, simply trim off any extra skin. Set chicken aside and pat dry.
In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. While the oil is heating, in a small bowl mix together the salt, onion powder or granulated onion, garlic powder or granulated garlic, paprika, cumin, and black pepper. Sprinkle seasoning on both sides of chicken.
Dredge the seasoned chicken in the flour, then place in the frying pan to brown. Turn chicken over once during the browning process. This process is only for browning the chicken. The chicken will finish cooking with the rice. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. With heat on medium or medium-low, add the rice to the oil in the pan. Cook and stir rice for about five minutes. Add the poblano, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring as needed until the onions are tender. Add the diced tomatoes and stir. Cook for about 5 minutes to release some of the juices from the tomatoes.
Pour the chicken stock into the rice mixture. Add the salt, ground cumin, turmeric or saffron threads, red pepper flakes, and chopped pimento-stuffed green Spanish olives. Stir gently to combine all of the ingredients.
Place chicken pieces evenly over the rice mixture. Put a lid on the pan, cover and bring to a low simmer. Cook over low heat until the rice is done and the chicken has cooked through, about 30-40 minutes. If it looks as though the stock will be all used up before either the rice or the chicken has completed cooking, add a bit more liquid. Water or stock will be fine, maybe about 1/2 cup. When the chicken is done, the juices from the chicken should run clear and the internal temperature of the chicken should be 165-degrees F.
If desired, cilantro can be minced and stirred into the rice prior to serving (amount per personal preference), or can be used as a garnish. Lime wedges can be served on the side and the juice squeezed over the rice and chicken for added flavor.
From tsgcookin.com