Arroz con Pollo (Panamanian Version) Chicken and Rice))

Arroz-con-Pollo

I have had opportunity to travel a bit. I speak and read the Spanish language and have more than a few residence hours in the country of Panama. One of my favorite Latino dishes I have ever tasted was not served in that beautiful country of Panama but rather right in the US. I once dated a little gal from Panama and it was her cooking in my old Fayetteville NC home that I first had the most awesome Arroz con Pollo I have ever tasted.

I have not repeated the dish since the last time she created it for me. Let’s see with her recipe if I can make it as good as she…. I will share her recipe with you.

On a sad note….Eritza Mireya Vallejo Centeno passed away this year and Eritza Mireya Vallejo Centeno will go down in history right here on this blog as I recall her recipe. In fact I am working to provide her oldest son a home that he can live in (I have a second home I was refurbing) with his care provider (Ricky has Down’s Syndrome)….here is a link to my project… http://Ricky Vallejo Forever Home GoFundMe Project

Let’s make some awesome Arroz Con Pollo Eritza Style, using that Achiote Oil we made in my last post.

8 chicken legs

1/3 cup Achiote oil (My recipe is posted on how to make Achiote Oil)

1 large onion, chopped

2 red peppers, chopped

2 yellow peppers, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2-3 large tomatoes, chopped

2 bay leaf

1/2 tsp  ground black pepper

1 tsp  salt

1/2 cup white wine

2 cups long grain rice, uncooked

2 cups chicken stock

1 tsp saffron

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

2 carrots, grated

1/2 cup stuffed green olives, sliced

Place chicken legs in a large mixing bowl; season with a little of the salt and pepper.

Heat the Achiote oil on med hi in large 14″ skillet and fry the chicken legs on all sides until brown.

Remove chicken legs and return to mixing bowl.

Add the onion, peppers and garlic and saute until golden.

Deglaze the pan with the wine.

Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, remaining salt and pepper

simmer for 5 minutes

Add chicken stock

Add the rice

Add saffron

Cover and cook over medium heat until it begins to boil.

Reduce the heat and let cook until the chicken stock is absorbed.

If the rice fails to cook through, add a little more chicken stock until rice is ready.

Remove from heat and stir in sweet peas, carrots and olives.

Remove bay leaves.

Serve the Arroz con Pollo with the Brazilian cheese bread that my Chef partner, Mariuska Vallejo has offered. (Yes Mariuska is indeed the daughter in law to Eritza) I knew you might catch that….

This is a great dish….it is filling and will be a treat for you whole family. I hope you enjoy it as much as I …. I do love Latino food….

 

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