Arroz con Pollo a la Chorrera
(ah-ROSS kon POY-yoh ah lah cho-REH-rah)
El Caldero (Weeknight Arroz y Frijoles)
Most Cuban-Americans grew up on standard arroz con pollo, but a la chorrera is the unapologetic Sunday version—wet, profoundly savory, glowing radioactive yellow with bijol, and smelling faintly of beer. Born near a Havana fortress, it looks like paella but acts like risotto. The secret to pulling this off on a busy Tuesday in Ohio? Swap the elusive Valencia grain for standard Arborio, and use bone-in thighs to get the lip-smacking collagen of a whole bird in a fraction of the time. It is supposed to be soupy, so do not panic when you see the liquid.
Before you start
Gather and measure everything before you start.
The sofrito comes together quickly, so having your aromatics chopped and liquids measured is critical to building the flavors without burning the garlic.
Ingredients
- bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks2 1/2 lb
- olive oil2 tbsp
- fresh lime juice1 tbsp
- kosher salt2 tsp
- black pepper1 tsp
- yellow onion1 large
- green bell pepper1 med
- red bell pepper1/2 med
- cloves garlic5 med
- tomato sauce1/2 cup
- ground cumin1 tsp
- dried oregano1/2 tsp
- bay leaf1 med
- bijol powder or sazón with achiote1/2 tsp
- Arborio rice2 cup
- low-sodium chicken broth4 cup
- dry white wine1/2 cup
- light lager beer1 cup
- frozen sweet peas1/2 cup
- jarred roasted red peppers1/2 cup
Method
- 01
Season the chicken generously with salt, pepper, and lime juice, then sear skin-side down in hot olive oil until golden.
Use a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear in batches if necessary to avoid crowding. Transfer the chicken to a plate, but leave every drop of that rendered fat in the pot—it is liquid gold and the soul of your sofrito.
- 02
Lower the heat and cook the onions and bell peppers in the chicken fat until soft.
Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom. After about 5 minutes, add the garlic, cumin, oregano, and bijol, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomato sauce and let it concentrate into a jam-like consistency.
- 03
Return the chicken to the pot along with the broth, wine, bay leaf, and half of the beer.
Bring the liquid to a rapid simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and let it cook for 15 minutes to enrich the broth and begin tenderizing the meat.
- 04
Stir in the Arborio rice, cover, and gently simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
The liquid-to-rice ratio will look alarmingly high—trust the process. Give it an occasional gentle stir so the short-grain rice doesn't scorch on the bottom, but do not agitate it constantly like an Italian risotto.
- 05
Turn off the heat, stir in the remaining beer and sweet peas, then garnish with roasted red pepper strips.
This is the most critical step. Covering the pot and letting it sit off the heat for 5 to 10 minutes allows the starches to set into a perfect, creamy meloso glaze without overcooking the grain.
From Cook Cuban in America.