ARROZ CON POLLO (Cilantro Chicken Rice)

Needed:
Chicken Pieces … legs, thighs & breasts
Peruvian Yellow Pepper … 1 ½ for mild, 2 for spicy
Salt, pepper, cumin, powder garlic to taste
Fresh peeled garlic 3-5 cloves
Chicken bouillon (1 cube)
Cilantro ½ bunch
White Onion ½
Green Peas 1 Cup
Olive Oil 2 spoonfuls
Red Pepper 1/3
Rice 2 Cups
Dark (or any) Beer 1 cup
Minced parsley for garnish when serving

Prep work:

Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, cumin and garlic

In a heated skillet, sear the red pepper for a few minutes.
Rinse the cilantro (only ½ bunch) and let it dry
Mince the onion (only ½)
Slice or dice 1/3 of a red pepper (no seeds)
Slice ½ of the yellow peppers for a spicier dish
Save the other ½ of the yellow pepper

In a blender,
Fill with 1 cup of water
Cut up 1 yellow pepper and add to blender (seeds included)
Cut up the cilantro and add to blender
Add some fresh garlic
Blend and measure

1. Heat up Olive Oil … medium high

2. Sautee the chicken and stir enough to keep it from sticking to pan

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 3. When chicken is cooked on the outside on both sides, add the diced
onions … stir
4. Mince some of the fresh garlic and add
5. Add the sliced or diced red pepper
6. Add the sliced yellow pepper for a spicier version … stir
7. Let the onions, peppers and chicken cook
8. If needed, add salt, peppers, cumin and garlic
9. Let it cook for about 5-10 minutes still medium high
10. Make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom
11. Add 2 cups of water, stir, cover with lid and let it cook for about 5
minutes. Should start to boil … if not, raise the temperature
12. Add one cube of chicken bouillon
13. Add ½ yellow pepper
14. Add 1 cup of the blended cilantro and cover with lid again.
15. Let it cook, make sure pot is covered.
16. After 3-5 minutes, add ½ cup of beer, stir and leave it open for a
couple minutes to let is evaporate. Cover with lid again.
17. Add one more cup of the blended cilantro … if there is not enough,
just add water to make it 1 cup.
18. Cover and let it boil
19. Rinse 2 cups of white rice
20.Add rice, stir and add 1 cup of green peas. Cover with lid again.
21. Lower heat to lowest setting … lo or 1 … whatever is the lowest
22.Let it simmer for about 20-25 minutes.
23.Done

TIPS:

1. Make sure you conserve the water that is being added. 2 Cups of rice
need 4 Cups of Water. That is why we are constantly covering with lid.
2. Only use ½ bunch of cilantro because more than that will weigh the
rice down and make it soggy.
3. Same for the onion, only use ½ medium white onion.
4. When it is time to simmer – step 22 – make sure you use the lowest
setting … it is tempting to use a higher setting to speed it up, but it
will only dry it up and the rice will not be thoroughly cooked.

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5. During simmer … resist the urge to open the lid … the cold air will
harden the rice before it is cooked.
6. When simmering is complete, gently pick up the rice on top to make
sure it is cooked throughout and the bottom is not burning
7. Before putting the lid back on, place a kitchen towel on top of the pan,
and then the lid over it. This will keep the condensed water collected
in the lid from falling back onto the rice.