ARROZ IMPERIAL

Steps:

• To make the yellow rice, heat 3 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add the onions and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the sazon, tomato sauce, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, dry white wine, salt, and corn. Cook for 1 minute. Add the rice and cook for 1 minute. Add the water and let it come to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked through.
• To make the shredded check, boil the chicken breasts in a pot filled with water over medium-high heat for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is almost fully cooked through.
• Shred the chicken using two forks and set aside. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat up some olive oil. Add the onions, garlic, and peppers, cook until transulecent.
• Stir in the tomato sauce, dry white wine, oregano, garlic powder, sazon, bay leaf, and cumin. Cook for one minute.
• Stir in the shredded chicken. Add the chicken stock and season with salt and pepper.
• Cook uncovered for 20 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
• Add the capers and check for seasoning.
• Grease a 9x13 oven-safe baking dish and preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
• Add about 1-2 cups of cooked yellow rice and then cover the rice with the shredded chicken. Cover the chicken with the remaining rice. Add the mayo and spread it evenly on top of the rice. Cover the top with cheese and bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted. Garnish with cilantro and roasted peppers, if desired. Enjoy!

EASY CUBAN ARROZ IMPERIAL (IMPERIAL RICE!)

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven or saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, green pepper, and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes.
• Add sliced pimentos and tomato sauce. Sauté for 1 minute. Add rice, water, bouillon cube, Bijol and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 15 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE LID. The steam is what cooks the rice. After 15 minutes, remove from heat. Keep the lid on for another 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
• In a skillet, add olive oil, onions, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Sauté onions with spices for 5 minutes at medium-high heat. Add garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken stock to deglaze the pan then add the shredded chicken and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In an 8x8 baking dish, you will begin layering your ingredients. First, start by spreading a thin layer of mayonnaise at the bottom. This will prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the dish.
• Next, add a layer of rice, then a layer of shredded chicken, then a layer of shredded cheese, another layer of rice, a thicker layer of mayonnaise, a layer of shredded chicken, and top it off with a thick layer of shredded cheese.
• Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes to melt the cheese. Garnish with sliced olives and pimentos, if desired. Serve and enjoy!

ARROZ IMPERIAL CON POLLO - IMPERIAL RICE WITH CHICKEN

Steps:

• Wash chicken and place in a stock pot.
• Approximately 1-1/2 quarts to 2 quarts of water to fully cover meat.
• Bring to a boil and simmer with 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves, 2 sticks celery, 2 carrots, all chopped into large chunks, and salt & pepper to taste.
• Cook uncovered until the meat falls apart - keep checking, the broth and chicken.
• Remove chicken and reserve the broth.(You will use some of the broth to make the rice).
• Skim excess fat, if any, from the top and strain the broth.
• When cool enough, shred chicken into small pieces by hand.
• In a large frying pan, saute the bacon briefly.
• Drain most, but not all of the excess fat.
• Add a tiny bit of olive oil and heat.
• Add onion, green pepper, green onions, oregano, and bay leaf.
• Saute onions until translucent.
• Add the garlic and saute for one additional minute, stirring occasionally.
• Add tomato sauce, chicken and sherry.
• Bring to a boil reduce heat and simmer(uncovered) approximately 15 minutes to thicken sauce.
• Add peas, pimentos, lime juice and pimento stuffed olives, during the last five minutes of cooking.
• Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
• In a large covered pan, mix the rice with the chicken broth and/or paprika.
• Bring to a boil, cover and cook over low heat until the rice is thoroughly cooked and most of the broth absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• Add the mayonnaise to the cooked rice, a little at a time, and mix thoroughly.
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Spread 1/3 of the rice mixture onto the bottom of a 13x9x2" (we use a foil baking pan - ease of clean-up).
• Layer chicken mixture on top of the rice.
• Then add another layer of rice mixture.
• Generously sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese on top of this layer.
• Add the remaining rice.
• Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese on the top layer, then spread the shredded Monterey Jack completely over the top.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned and the cheese melts completely and bubbles.
• Enjoy, you've earned it!

ARROZ CON POLLO (RICE WITH CHICKEN)

Steps:

• Brown cubed chicken in some oil with the chopped garlic and onions.
• Add the chopped capsicum's sauté for a minute.
• Add the bay leaves, tomatoes and chicken stock.
• When the stock starts to boil stir in the rice and turmeric.
• Simmer low heat with the lid on until the rice is tender adding more stock if necessary. Stir regular. This will take 20-30 minutes approximately.
• Add beans and artichokes during the last 10 mins of cooking.

ARROZ CON POLLO

Steps:

• Prepare the adobo by whisking the ingredients together in a bowl, or blending in a small food processor, pilón or mortar and pestle.
• Pat the chicken dry, then place in a large bowl or zip-top bag. Pour prepared adobo over chicken. Toss well to combine, then cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap, or seal the bag, and let the chicken rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. If you have the time, marinate for several hours or overnight to make the chicken extra tender and flavorful.
• Prepare the sofrito: In a large food processor or blender, blend the peppers and garlic until smooth. Add the onion and blend until smooth, then add the culantro and cilantro and blend until smooth. (The preparation may produce more sofrito than needed for this recipe, but you can store additional sofrito in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.)
• Add the rice to a medium bowl, then rinse with several rounds of cool water, pouring through a fine-mesh strainer until water runs out clear.
• Once chicken is marinated, heat olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high. When the oil is simmering, working in batches if necessary, add chicken in one layer and brown for 7 to 10 minutes per batch, turning several times to evenly brown.
• Meanwhile, bring chicken broth (or water) to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce to a simmer until ready to use.
• Add sofrito, bay leaves and annatto or paprika to pot with chicken and stir well. Reduce heat to medium, and sauté until liquid is mostly evaporated and sofrito thickens to a paste, about 7 to 10 minutes.
• Add tomato sauce and cook for 3 to 5 minutes longer, until the sauce darkens. Add the rinsed rice, olives and capers (if using), and salt and pepper, and fold in to ensure that the rice is fully coated and the chicken is evenly distributed.
• Pour in hot stock, then simmer, uncovered, over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring only 2 to 3 times and shaking the pot every few minutes to keep rice level. (The liquid surrounding the rice will lower by about 1 inch.) Watch the rice very closely: The window between just right and overcooked is small, and difficult to predict, but you'll become an expert at this over time.
• Once you start to spot lots of little bubbles on the surface but see no more pronounced liquid on top, top with the lid, reduce heat to low and cook until the rice is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes, shaking pot a few times. Once liquid is almost entirely evaporated, sprinkle thawed peas on top.
• Working directly in the pot, using 2 forks, pull apart chicken thighs until shredded. Gently fluff the rice, bringing grains from the bottom to the top. Return the lid and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
• Garnish with lime wedges, and serve with salted avocado and tomato slices (or a simple green salad). The dish keeps well in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.