Arroz con Pollo (Skillet Rice and Chicken Recipe)

One of my early memories of motherhood is that of coming home from work during my lunch break to nurse my firstborn. As I sat in the rocking chair nursing my beautiful child, wafting in from the kitchen came the garlicky aroma of rice cooking in the kithen. On his day off my wonderful husband would cook a fresh pot of beans and arroz con pollo for our lunch. Sometime during the cooking process he would go to the local "tortilleria" , the place where they made fresh tortillas daily in Rio Grande City, Texas , and buy some delicious, warm tortillas. Somehow they would still be warm when we sat down to eat. What a feast was enjoyed on these days!

Arroz Con Pollo

Chicken and Rice

Ingredients:

1 chicken 3 to 4 pounds cut into pieces

1 garlic clove (You can substitute powdered garlic here) about 1/4 ts.

1/4 cup onion

1/4 cup tomato

1 slice bell pepper (for flavor) optional

2 cups uncooked rice

About 4 cups water or chicken stock (Hot boiling water or stock)

1 8 oz can tomato sauce

1/4 ts cumin

1/4 ts pepper

Salt to taste

Cooking Steps:

1. In a 4 1/2 quart Dutch oven or skillet, brown chicken in 1 tablespoon oil turning pieces as necessary.

Cover and simmer for 25 minutes.

2. If you are using fresh garlic, grind garlic and place in dish with other spices with a little water

and set aside.

3. In skillet brown rice in 1 tablespoon oil.

4. Add browned rice to chicken. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Add spices, tomato sauce, onions, tomato, bell pepper slice, and enough boiling water or chicken stock to cover chicken. Remember to pour this carefully. Mixture will sizzle and steam while pouring sometimes.

6. Stir only once during simmering process.

7. Serves 8 - 10

Every family has their own variation of this dish. Some cooks add a vegetable to this dish. Some vegetables used are peas, corn, garbanzo beans, or carrots .

Enjoy!