Ultimate Arroz con Pollo

[Carrot Top]

My mind is on Arroz con Pollo tonight. Does anyone out there have the ultimate recipe?

[Gifted Gourmet]

Milliken and Feniger's recipe which is classic and terrific!

[Jason Perlow]

An ample amount of saffron with good chicken stock is the key to making this dish work.

[SobaAddict70]

Just had this for lunch, and a pretty good rendition too.

Chicken thighs and backs, cooked in chicken stock, with rice, carrots, peas, onions and peppers. Not sure if there was any saffron though.

Some versions I've had include gandules (pigeon peas).

Guess what's for dinner this weekend?

Soba

[Jason Perlow]

A lot of versions use turmeric to get that yellow color, I like saffron for the flavor, with maybe a little bit of tumeric. Goya Sazon seasoning has turmeric in it (and MSG, among other things) and its commonly used to make arroz con pollo. I happen to like this stuff but your mileage may vary.

Sazón Goya

Goya Web Site -- Arroz con Pollo - Chicken & Rice

At the end of the day its good chicken stock plus onion and bell pepper and garlic which is going to make the dish, and a well seasoned chicken. Some versions, such as from parts of Puerto Rico, they add tomato as well, making it a dish similar to Jambalaya.

[SobaAddict70]

No, this was decidedly pale, Jason.

I have a feeling they didn't use any saffron or if they did, just the barest amount. This is from our corporate cafeteria at my current firm -- which by the way, is pretty good compared to the cafeteria at my previous firm.

[Jason Perlow]

There are versions without saffron, in Spain and in other Latin American countries they use saffron, but again, there is tremendous variation. Goya Sazon has a version with some Saffron in it, but I would go with the original Sazon flavor and add real saffron steeped in the chicken stock to give it that extra punch. The Goya Adobo stuff is also good for seasoning the chicken.

[TongoRad]

I do like to make this dish a couple of times a year and it is generally with the 'kitchen sink' approach. Pigeon peas are a must, but I like to add chorizo as well, and tomatoes more often than not.

[sandra]

I only use saffron for paella...

for a Mexican arroz con pollo, we use tomato and peas

for South American it's just the rice, chicken stock and spices

the trick is to fry the rice before it goes in - after sweating the onion and garlic, throw in the rice until it's white (yes, I know, whiter...) and then put in your liquid, tomatoes, and pre-browned chicken, at the end, add peas and carrots and whatever else you want...

In the Milliken Feniger recipe, for example, I would add the rice in with the vermicelli to toast...

[rooftop1000]

Since someone has already opened the Goya door as it were, here is a no effort quickie...Goya brand Mexican rice, chicken thighs, dutch oven ...canned diced tomatoes or jar of salsa or some corn...or chorizo optional

Preheat oven to 400

on the stove top brown the chicken and sausage if using, with a little oil in the dutch oven..if it gets too oily drain some but those things are heavy

add the rice mix and toast it a little add the recomended amount of water and any extra veg

cover and place in 400 degree oven for 30 min

make salad and eat

this is so good it should be on the box

T