Puerto Rican Arroz Con Pollo

Ingredients:

6 chicken thighs, drumsticks, or a combination of the two)
2 tsp sazon seasoning
2 tsp adobo seasoning

For the Rice:
2 tbsp achiote (annatto) oil or olive oil
2 tbsp sofrito
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 bell pepper, diced
5g coriander, minced
1 tsp salt
2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
60ml tomato sauce
90g pimento-stuffed green olives, sliced in half crossways
400g short or medium grain white rice, washed and drained
1l (about) chicken stock (reserve 250ml)
140g frozen peas

Method:

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels then place in a large bowl. Add the seasonings, then mix to coat the chicken as evenly as possible.

Pre-heat your oven to 170C. Warm the achiote oil in a caldero or cast iron casserole (dutch oven) over medium heat. Add the chicken skin side down, turning to brown on all sides. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Add the sofrito and diced onion to the oil remaining in the pot and sauté fry for about 6 minutes, until the onions become translucent. Now stir in the garlic, bell peppers, coriander, salt and black pepper, and cook until the garlic is fragrant (about 2 minutes).

Add the stock and bring everything to a boil. Continue boiling for a few minutes before arranging the chicken pieces on top of the rice and covering the pot with a lid. Transfer the pot into the centre of your pre-heated oven and cook for about 30 minutes.

Check on the rice towards the end of the 30 minutes to make sure it’s fully cooked through. If dry, add the reserved 250ml of stock, re-cover and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Once everything is cooked, fluff in the peas.

If you want the rice at the bottom of your pot to be crispy (pegao style), drizzle a tablespoon of oil around the edges, and add the pot to the stovetop again over medium heat. Cook for another 5-10 minutes (watching closely to make sure it doesn’t burn).

Serve drizzled with a squeeze of lime juice and sprinkling of chopped coriander.