Puerto Rican Chicken Stew
The consistency of this dish is a compromise: It's thicker than a stew but moister than a paella.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 3 ½-pound chicken, cut into serving pieces
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ounce salt pork or bacon, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 ounces ham, diced
- 1 medium tomato, diced
- ½ pound chorizo or smoked sausage
- ¼ cup small pimiento-stuffed olives
- 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon Annatto Oil (see recipe at bottom)
- 2 cups converted rice
- 3 cups water
- ½ cup frozen peas
Add the oregano, black pepper, paprika, and salt to a large resealable plastic bag; shake to mix the spices. Add the chicken and shake to coat the chicken in the spices.
Add the olive oil to a large Dutch oven and bring to temperature over medium heat. Add the salt pork or bacon, onion, and green pepper. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the onion is transparent and the green pepper begins to get tender.
Stir in the ham and tomato; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the chorizo or smoked sausage, and then add the chicken, skin-side down, with as many of the chicken pieces touching the pan bottom as possible. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add the olives, capers, annatto oil, rice, and water; bring to a simmer, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the peas; cover and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, if needed.
