Recipe for Chicken and Rice a La Valenciana
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This classic Latin American version of arroz con pollo (chicken and rice) is popular in Nicaragua and very similar to Spanish paella, especially the traditional paella style in Valencia, Spain.
This Latin American adaptation of the dish has distinctive ingredients – ham (or chorizo sausage), chicken, olives, red peppers, peas and tomatoes, and is often flavoured with beer – but each chef has a personal preference for the dish. Arroz con pollo makes an excellent lunch or dinner base and is a great way to use up the fridge and at the end of the day. In Nicaragua'arroz con pollo is often served with toast.
What you’ll need
3 chicken breasts 2 onions 1 lime 1 tablespoon chicken broth 3 tbsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 cups medium rice 2-3 carrots 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon paprika 2 tablespoons butter 6-8 ounces smoked ham 1 red pepper 1 tomato 2 teaspoons Worcestershire/2 cup sliced green olives 3 tablespoons capers 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 cup peas 1 cup beer Salt and pepper to taste
How to make it
Place chicken breasts in a large saucepan on top of plums; one onion, cut into wedges and the juice of one lime. (Add other Vegetable Recipes for flavour if desired – especially rich roasted Vegetable Recipes.)
Douse the chicken with water and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes, then turn off heat and leave covered for another 5 minutes. Check the chicken for doneness – if the meat is still pink in the middle, cook for a few minutes longer. Remove the chicken from the pot (mimic a stockpot) and let cool. Transfer the broth to a container or bowl – you should have about three cups of rice.
Peel and toss with remaining onion. Peel and dice. In the same bowl, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, minced garlic, and roasted carrots and onions. Cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent and fragrant.
Rinse the rice in water several times and add the rice to the pot with the onions and carrots. Add 2 1/2 cups of the reserved broth and stir. Taste for flavor and season with salt and pepper. Turn heat to low, cover and cook until rice is just tender (add additional broth if needed).
Divide cooked chicken breasts into bite size pieces. Peel the ham. Add butter to a large skillet or paella pan and heat over medium heat. Add ham and cook until lightly browned and crispy. Add the chicken and toss with the ham. Remove the meat from the bottles and set aside.
Stir and slice the red pepper into strips and add a tablespoon of olive oil to the bottle. Stir in tomato seeds and diced tomatoes and add to the pan. Add the cumin, paprika and Worcestershire'sauce and cook the Vegetable Recipes over a medium heat, stirring, until the pepper is soft and aromatic and the liquid has mostly evaporated. If desired, add a few cabbage leaves to serve as a garnish.
Add the cooked rice to the pan with the beer, olives, capers and tomato paste. Cook, stirring everything together for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Add the peas, ham and chicken to the peppers and cook for several more minutes. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary. Nutritional guidelines (per serving) Calories 852 Total fat 38 g Saturated fat 11 g Saturated fat 17 g Cholesterol 183 mg Sodium 895 mg Carbohydrate 61 g Fiber 6 g Protein 62 g (The nutritional information in our recipes is calculated from the ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. Individual results may vary.)
