Arroz con Pollo

Arroz con Pollo

The fact that bone-in skin-on chicken thighs appeal to me is no secret. So one day a couple of weeks ago, I had some defrosting in the refrigerator and was looking for a different way to prepare them.

The Source

I adapted this dish from the recipe I found on Food & Wine.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 chicken thighs
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces smoked ham, sliced into 1/4-inch dice
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 14-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 teaspoon fresh chives, minced

Method

1. Sear the chicken: In a large skillet, heat the oil until smoking. Season the chicken with salt and pepper then place in the hot oil over medium-high, in batches if necessary, until browned on both sides, adjusting heat if necessary to prevent burning, approximately 8 minutes per batch. Once browned, remove from pan and set aside, then discard all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat.

2. Season the dish: Reduce heat to medium-low. Sweat the ham, onion, and garlic to the pan until the onion starts to soften, approximately 2 minutes. Add both bell peppers and sweat, stirring occasionally until they soften, approximately an additional 3 minutes.

3: Cook the rice, blend the flavors and finish the dish: To the mirepoix, add the tomatoes, tomato paste and stock, then season with salt and pepper. Stir in the rice, add the chicken back to the pan (skin side up), and cover. Simmer it until the chicken and rice are cooked through, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Garnish with chives and serve.

Successful?

As I looked around, I noticed it is common for this dish to be photographed while still in the pan, but I wanted to take a shot of an individual plate. In retrospect, I regret the decision. While not my most aesthetically pleasing dish, the flavors definitely were and I'll be preparing this dish again.

In other news, I must ask for your pardon for my short absence. I was pretty busy, partially because Mrs. Stuntman celebrated a birthday last week. She wanted to go to Chef Michael Mina's Arcadia in San Jose. I don't do restaurant reviews but I did want to share the dishes we ordered.

Appetizer: Duck Spring Rolls, Ginger Dipping Sauce, Butter Lettuce, Mint

My Entreé: Buzzards Bay Scallops, Pork Belly, Meyer Lemon, Onion Soubise

Mrs. Stuntman's Entreé: Phyllo-Dusted Sole, Dungeness Crab Brandade, Hericot Verts, Dijon