Arroz con pollo

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1whole chicken
• 1onion
• 2bay leaves
• salt
• water to cover

Base

• 2onions, finely chopped
• 1red pepper
• 1green pepper
• 4 clovesgarlic
• 3 stickscelery
• 1 bunchcoriander
• 4 tbspoil

Rice

• 600 glong-grain rice
• 1.2 litresof the chicken broth
• 2 tspachiote or annatto
• 1 tbspSalsa Lizano
• 1 tspground cumin
• salt and pepper

Vegetables

• 150 gpeas
• 1carrot, finely diced
• 150 gsweetcorn
• 1red pepper, diced

To serve

• at birthdays and gatherings
• with potato chips crushed over, which Costa Ricans do

Directions

1. Simmer the whole chicken with onion, bay and salt for about 45 minutes. Keep the broth, which becomes the cooking liquid for the rice.
2. Lift the chicken out, cool it and shred the meat finely. Chop the onion, peppers, celery and garlic very finely.
3. Cut them small, into a fine dice. The vegetables should be distributed evenly through the rice rather than appearing as chunks, which is characteristic of the Costa Rican version.
4. Fry them in oil until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the achiote and cumin and cook a minute. Achiote gives the orange-yellow colour that arroz con pollo should have, and it is used across Central America for exactly that.
5. Season it until it tastes slightly too strong, since the rice will take up all of it and dilute the seasoning considerably.
6. Bring it to a boil, then reduce it to the lowest heat and cover it tightly. Cook for 20 minutes without lifting the lid.
7. Add the peas, carrot and corn for the last 5 minutes. Adding them late keeps them bright and distinct rather than grey and collapsed. Stir in plenty of chopped coriander. Serve it hot, on a large platter for people to help themselves.

Technique

• Salsa Lizano has been made in Costa Rica since 1920 and is in every kitchen.
• Crushed potato chips scattered over is genuinely standard at parties.
• The vegetables are cut far finer than in other versions.

Substitutions

• Worcestershire sauce with sugar and cumin, in place of Salsa Lizano.
• Paprika and a little turmeric in place of achiote.

Variations

• Made with more vegetables, which is common.
• Served with a fried egg on top.
• Made in a very large pot for a crowd.

Frequently asked questions

What is Arroz con pollo?

Arroz con pollo is a main from Costa Rica: celebration rice with shredded chicken and vegetables.

How long does Arroz con pollo take to make?

Arroz con pollo takes 30 min of preparation and 1 hr of cooking. The recipe makes 8 servings. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Arroz con pollo?

Yes, within limits. Worcestershire sauce with sugar and cumin, in place of Salsa Lizano. Paprika and a little turmeric in place of achiote.

What is the most important thing to get right in Arroz con pollo?

Simmer the whole chicken with onion, bay and salt for about 45 minutes. Keep the broth, which becomes the cooking liquid for the rice.