Arroz con Pollo a la Chorrera
Arroz con Pollo a la Chorrera·(ah-ROZ kon POY-yo ah lah cho-REH-rah)
La Olla Mágica: Instant Pot Heritage
Tuesday at six p.m., Arroz con pollo is standard weeknight fuel, but a la chorrera is a Sunday project built on extra hours of simmering broth. To pull off this Havana-born masterpiece glowing bright yellow with bijol and smelling faintly of cheap beer, hit the High Pressure button, swap elusive Valencia rice for supermarket Arborio, and lean on bone-in thighs to mimic the lip-smacking collagen of a whole bird. When the steam release valve hisses, open the cooker and let the starchy liquid thicken into a rich glaze. It is supposed to be a soupy mess. Serve it wet.
Ingredients
- bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks2 1/2 lb
- kosher salt2 tsp
- black pepper1 tsp
- fresh lime juice1 tbsp
- olive oil2 tbsp
- yellow onion1 large
- green bell pepper1 med
- red bell pepper1/2 med
- clove garlic5 med
- tomato sauce1/2 cup
- ground cumin1 tsp
- dried oregano1/2 tsp
- bijol powder1/2 tsp
- arborio rice2 cup
- low-sodium chicken broth3 cup
- dry white wine1/2 cup
- light beer1 cup
- bay leaf1 med
- frozen sweet peas1/2 cup
- jarred roasted red peppers1/2 cup
Method
- 01
Sear the seasoned chicken using the pressure cooker's sauté function to build the foundational flavor.
Toss the chicken generously with the kosher salt, black pepper, and lime juice. Set the cooker to Sauté on high heat and warm the olive oil. Sear the chicken skin-side down until deeply golden, about 6 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate, but leave every drop of that rendered fat in the pot—it is liquid gold.
- 02
Melt the aromatics into a rich, jammy sofrito.
With the pot still on Sauté, toss the onion and bell peppers into the hot chicken fat, scraping up any browned bits. Once soft, stir in the garlic, cumin, oregano, and bijol until fragrant, then mix in the tomato sauce to concentrate the flavors.
- 03
Deglaze the pot and prepare for pressure cooking.
Hit Cancel to stop the heat. Pour in the broth, white wine, and exactly half of the light beer, scraping the bottom of the pot completely clean to avoid a burn warning. Return the chicken to the pot, stir in the Arborio rice, and drop in the bay leaf, ensuring the rice is fully submerged.
- 04
Pressure cook the mixture to force the starch release and tenderize the meat.
Secure the lid, seal the valve, and cook on High Pressure for exactly 6 minutes. Once the time is up, immediately perform a Quick Release to stop the cooking process so the short-grain rice doesn't turn into total mush.
- 05
Execute the traditional Chorrera finish to set the signature creamy texture.
The mixture will look alarmingly soupy when you open the lid, which is exactly right. Turn the pot's Keep Warm function completely off. Stir in the remaining half cup of beer and the sweet peas, then lay the strips of roasted red peppers across the top. Cover the pot with a glass lid or plate and let it rest for 10 minutes so the starches can thicken the remaining liquid into a perfect, risotto-like glaze.
Notes
Sourcing authentic color and flavor.
If you can't find a tin of traditional Cuban bijol powder, substitute it with generic annatto powder or one packet of Goya Sazón con Azafrán. For the vino seco, any dry white wine like Pinot Grigio works perfectly.
From Cook Cuban in America.