3 Guys Cuban Recipe: Cuban Main Dish: Arroz Con Pollo (Cuban)

Chicken with Rice

Jorge: The Chinese introduced rice to Spain, possibly in the 15th or 16th Century. Soon the Spanish people realized that they could combine it with seafood, meat, poultry and sausages to create delicious dishes, such as arroz con pollo, paella and mariscada.

Glenn: All these recipes combine rice with wine, olive oil and spices to give it a wonderful aroma and delicious flavor. The Spanish colonization of Cuba introduced these culinary creations to Cuba later in the 16th century.

Jorge: The Cubans added tomato and garlic to these recipes, giving them a more "Cuban" touch. Arroz con Pollo is easy to prepare, and very economical to make. Some of the best dishes include beer -- it gives it a great flavor.

Glenn: Arroz con pollo is enjoyed by many Latin cultures. The Cuban version is highly spiced -- but NOT spicy hot. It's a favorite Cuban Sunday lunch dish.

Raúl: This recipe was originally given to us by Emerald Hammer who has fond memories of Cuban meals with her friend's family and their own "Mima" -- Concha Diaz.

Glenn: The Three Guys have done a little tinkering with this recipe over the years. Just a few tweaks here and there -- we think it tastes better than ever!

4 strips of bacon
8 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
Salt, pepper, and cumin for Chicken
Olive oil for frying
1 large onion, chopped
4-5 cachucha peppers (or 1 large green pepper), chopped
4 cloves garlic mashed
1 (12 oz.) bottle of beer
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) can of tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon Bijol Powder
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 1/2 cups of parboiled rice
1/2 cup frozen green baby peas (optional)

Sauté the bacon in a large frying pan. Reduce heat to low and let the fat render out of the bacon -- about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, season the chicken lightly with salt, pepper and a little cumin. Once the fat is released, remove the bacon, increase temperature to medium-high and add the chicken to the hot bacon fat. Remove the chicken when it is browned on both sides.

Add a little olive oil to the same pan you fried the chicken in, and sauté the onion and green pepper until the onion is translucent. Add the mashed garlic and cook an additional minute or two, stirring frequently.

Take the chicken broth and beer and pour into a large covered pot. Add the browned chicken pieces, cooked onions and green pepper, tomato sauce, Bijol, bay leaf, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. And hey, why let all that delicious bacon go to waste? Chop it up and toss it in! Bring everything to a rolling boil, reduce heat, cover and cook on low for 15 minutes.

Add the rice. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. When the rice has absorbed some of the liquid, cover and simmer on low for about 30-45 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked and not soupy. Add the frozen peas during the last five minutes of cooking only.

For a dinner, serve the whole chicken pieces with the rice. For a party, you may remove the chicken, skin, de-bone and break it into bite-size chunks. However, DO NOT try to substitute any boneless, skinless chicken in this recipe -- unless you enjoy serving a disaster!

Ingredients