Published September 1, 2006.
Could we turn this all-day one-dish dinner into a fast but flavorful weeknight meal?
Arroz con pollo, or “chicken with rice” runs the gamut from the incredible to the merely edible, depending on how much time and effort you're willing to spend, with the best versions being the most time-consuming.
We wanted a streamlined arroz con pollo, ready in about an hour, without sacrificing great taste.
We chose chicken thighs, not only for shopping convenience but to ensure that all of the pieces would cook at the same time—a problem when using a combination of white and dark meat. We poached the thighs in a broth preseasoned with a "sofrito", a classic Latin American mixture of chopped onions and green peppers. About half an hour before the chicken finished cooking, we added medium-grain rice (which we preferred over long-grain for its creamy texture), stirring it a few times to ensure even cooking. And for maximum flavor, we devised two marinades. Before cooking, we marinated the chicken quickly in garlic, oregano, and white wine vinegar; after cooking we tossed the cooked chicken with olive oil, vinegar, and cilantro. We had one final dilemma: how to gave the dish its traditional orange hue that comes from infusing oil with achiote, a tropical seed not readily available in local grocery stores. Adding 8 ounces of canned tomato sauce solved the problem.
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