Millie’s Simple and Delicious Arroz Con Pollo

I was born in Puerto Rico and moved to New York City at age 8 when my father died. My mother, my sister and I lived with our grandmother. My mother worked a lot and never cooked, and my grandmother made basic things. So I taught myself. I just tried things and experimented until I figured things out. This is my arroz con pollo.

I live in Washington, D.C. with my husband and one daughter lives nearby. I make this arroz con pollo about twice a month. I take the chicken out when I cook the rice—because, for me, the rice becomes too mushy if you cook it all together. After I saute the chicken, I set it aside and keep it warm. Then I put it back in at the end after the rice is done, and let it all simmer together, to get nice and warm.

Millie’s Simple and Delicious Arroz Con Pollo

5 from 1 vote

Recipe by Millie Florián

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

5

minutes

Ingredients

• 8 8 drumsticks and thighs, combined

• 1 tsp 1 salt

• 1/2 tsp. 1/2 pepper

• 4 cloves 4 garlic, chopped

• 1 1 medium onion, sliced

• 1/2 1/2 green pepper, sliced

• 1/2 1/2 red pepper, sliced

• 1 tsp. 1 capers, with liquid

• 1/2 cup 1/2 small green olives, pitted, with pimentos

• 1 1 tomato, chopped

• 1/2 packet 1/2 sazón with achiote

• 1 tsp. 1 tabasco sauce

• 2 cups 2 arborio rice

• 4 Tbsp. 4 olive oil

• 1 Tbsp. 1 oregano

• 3 cups 3 water

• 4 oz. 4 roasted red peppers, diced

Directions

• Season chicken with oregano, salt, pepper and sazón. Let marinate for at least at least 2 hours.
• In a large Dutch oven, put 4 Tbsp. olive oil and sauté chicken for 3 to 5 minutes each side.
• Add all the above ingredients, with the exception of the rice and 1 1/2 cups of the water.
• Let it gently cook on medium heat for 40 minutes.
• Remove chicken from Dutch oven and set aside. Keep warm.
• Wash, rinse, drain and add rice to aromatics in the Dutch oven. Bring to a boil and let simmer, uncovered, on low heat for about 20 minutes.
• If the chicken you set aside has become cold, put in microwave for 1 or 2 minutes. Return the chicken to the finished rice mixture in the Dutch oven. Mix gently and garnish with diced pimentos.