Arroz con Pollo

Inspiration:
A recent trip to Puerto Rico and a recipe from Martha Stewart's Living


Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry white wine
• Pinch of saffron
• 6 chicken thighs (6 ounces each)
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic (2 to 3 cloves)
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 4 1/2 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock, plus more if needed
• 3 cups short-grain rice, preferably Valencia (can substitute Arborio)
• 1 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives

Instructions:

1. Combine wine and saffron; let stand until ready to use. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large braiser or heavy-bottomed, straight-sided saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken, skin side down, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip, and cook until golden brown, 2 minutes; transfer to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to medium, and cook onion and garlic, stirring often, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add tomato, and cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes. Stir in wine-saffron mixture, 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the bay leaves. Cook until wine is almost completely evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes. Add chicken, stock, rice, and olives; bring to a simmer.
3. Reduce heat to low. Cook, covered, stirring halfway through, until rice is tender, about 45 minutes. (If rice is not done, add more stock, cup at a time.) Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper.

Notes:

• I omitted the tomato because- well, I forgot to buy one!
• Make sure you use a large enough pan. Chicken broth overflowed onto my stovetop more than once- whoops!
• I used a pinch of saffron, but next time I'd use a really really large pinch.
• There was a lot more rice than chicken, perhaps because we used skinny organic free-range chicken thighs. Anyway, I took the leftover rice to work as part of my lunches, and it tasted great cold! So, enjoy the leftover rice if you have some.
  

Liz's Rating: 9/10
Tim's Rating: 9/10