Puerto Rican Arroz con Pollo

Ingredients

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup sofrito (blended onion, garlic, cubanelle pepper and cilantro)
• 1 tbsp adobo seasoning
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 packet sazón seasoning
• 3 cups long-grain rice
• 1 cup beer
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup pimento-stuffed green olives
• 2 tbsp capers
• 1 cup frozen peas
• Salt, to taste

Before you cook

• Toss the chicken thighs with the sofrito and adobo seasoning in a bowl.
• Cover and marinate the chicken in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight for deeper flavor.
• Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain.

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a large, wide pot over medium-high heat.
2. Lift the chicken out of the marinade and brown it in the hot oil, skin-side down first, until golden on both sides, about 8 minutes total.
3. Set the browned chicken aside on a plate.
4. Add the remaining marinade left in the bowl to the pot.
5. Stir in the tomato paste and sazón seasoning.
6. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant.
7. Add the drained rice to the pot and stir to coat it in the sofrito mixture.
8. Pour in the beer and chicken stock.
9. Nestle the browned chicken thighs into the rice.
10. Scatter the olives and capers over the top.
11. Bring the pot to a boil, then cover and lower the heat to a gentle simmer.
12. Cook covered for about 25 minutes, without lifting the lid.
13. Check that the rice has absorbed the liquid and is tender; if not, add a splash more hot stock and cook a few more minutes.
14. Scatter the frozen peas over the top.
15. Cover again and let the dish rest off the heat for 10 minutes so the peas warm through.
16. Season with salt to taste and fluff the rice gently before serving.