The dinner so delicious I had to blog about it immediately following my meal. Seriously.
My mother-in-law, Vivian, shared a wonderful recipe for traditional Cuban/Puerto Rican arroz con pollo. I’ve made it now-and-then for several years, but every time I make it, I mentally prepare myself for some quality time with the scrubber sponge and All Clad pot following dinner. Goodness, the rice
sure has a habit of sticking, no matter how many times I stir and scrape the bottom of the pot as it’s cooking.
With a bunch of chicken thighs defrosting and a small bag of forbidden black rice from Whole Foods in the cupboard, the wheels in my head began to turn. Why not switch out black rice for white in the arroz con pollo?
Arroz Negro Con Pollo
Print recipeIngredients
- 1 onion
- 1 garlic clove (large)
- Adobo seasoning
- chicken thighs (bone-in)
- 1 cup forbidden black rice
- 2 cups water
- 8oz tomato sauce
- 1 packet Sazon seasoning
Directions
| Step 1 | |
| Soften garlic and onion in large pot with oil. | |
| Step 2 | |
| Put Adobo on chicken and add to pot. Brown both sides. | |
| Step 3 | |
| Once chicken is browned lightly, add rice, water, sazon, tomato sauce. | |
| Step 4 | |
| Cook covered on medium heat until water is absorbed by rice - 35 to 50 minutes, though results will vary based on your stovetop. Stir frequently so rice does not burn on pot. Serve when chicken is cooked through. | |
You can also add a couple of tablespoons of sofrito or recaito to the mix if you have some on hand. The Goya brand from the Latin Foods aisle in the grocery store works great.
The resulting dish was more complex in flavor than a traditional arroz con pollo, and perhaps due to the added gluten in the rice, it didn’t stick as readily to the pot as white rice has in the past. Even my Puerto Rican husband approved! And the toddler, too! A win all around.
What’s your favorite type of rice? Have you made arroz con pollo?