Arroz con Pollo

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 cups long-grain white rice
• 1 large yellow onion, diced into small cubes
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced until pieces are pencil-tip size
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 cup lager beer or pilsner
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
• 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut chicken thighs into 1-inch to 1.5-inch pieces by placing each thigh on the cutting board and slicing straight down with your knife, aiming for chunks roughly the size of a golf ball.

2. 2

   Dice the onion: peel it, place it flat-side down, and make vertical cuts straight down toward the board about 1/4-inch apart, then make horizontal cuts across the same way until you have small cubes.

3. 3

   Cut the bell pepper lengthwise from the stem end to the bottom tip into four pieces, remove the seeds and white inside, then cut each piece crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide chunks.

4. 4

   Mince the garlic by placing each clove on the cutting board, pressing down hard with the flat side of a knife until it cracks, then chop it finely until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice.

5. 5

   Pull cilantro leaves off the stems by hand, discarding the stems, then roughly chop the leaves into 1/2-inch pieces.

6. 6

   Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.

7. 7

   Add the chicken pieces to the hot oil and cook without stirring for 3 minutes until the bottom surface turns light golden brown, then stir and cook another 2 minutes until mostly cooked through.

8. 8

   Scoop the chicken onto a clean plate and set it to the side of your workspace, leaving the oil and any browned bits in the skillet.

9. 9

   Add the diced onion to the same skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring once every 30 seconds, until the onion turns translucent and softens, about 4 minutes.

10. 10

    Add the minced garlic and cumin to the onion and stir constantly for 30 seconds until the kitchen smells strongly of garlic and spice.

11. 11

    Pour in the beer and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown stuck-on bits from the bottom of the skillet, stirring until the brown bits dissolve, about 45 seconds.

12. 12

    Add the rice and stir for 2 minutes, moving it around the skillet constantly so that each grain gets coated with oil, until the rice looks slightly translucent at the edges.

13. 13

    Pour in 3 cups chicken broth, add the cooked chicken back to the skillet, and stir once to distribute everything evenly.

14. 14

    Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat — you will see rapid bubbles breaking the surface — then reduce heat to low and cover the skillet with a lid.

15. 15

    Simmer covered for 18 minutes, then remove the lid and scatter the bell pepper and peas evenly over the top of the rice without stirring.

16. 16

    Replace the lid and continue cooking over low heat for 5 more minutes until the peas are heated through and the rice is tender and most liquid is absorbed.

17. 17

    Remove from heat and let sit covered for 3 minutes to allow the rice to finish absorbing any remaining liquid.

18. 18

    Fluff the rice with a fork by gently lifting and turning the rice from the bottom of the skillet up toward the surface, being careful not to break the grains.

19. 19

    Scatter the chopped cilantro over the top of the arroz con pollo in a single layer covering most of the surface.

Tools you’ll need

• 12-inch skillet with lid
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• wooden spoon
• fork for fluffing
• plate for holding cooked chicken

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