Spanish Chicken and Rice • The Heritage Cook ® (2024)

When I was in the fourth grade, my teacher decided that we would have a potluck dinner to help us get more involved in learning Spanish. Some children made decorations, some brought music, and I was asked to bring an entree. While my mother was a wonderful woman, cooking wasn’t her forte, and she had never made any Mexican food. So we grabbed a cookbook and found Arroz y Pollo con Jugo de Naranja (Rice and Chicken with Orange Juice).

She and I stood side by side in the kitchen, reading the recipe together, gathering the ingredients, and studying the pictures. Step by step we made the dish and when it came out of the oven it smelled wonderful. We each took a bite and stared at one another, stunned – it was absolutely amazing! I packed it up and took it to class, so proud of what we had created.

That was the day when I discovered cookbooks and I’ve been collecting them ever since. I started with a very old and tattered copy of The Joy of Cooking and now have bookshelves of all different types. And just like novels I read them cover to cover, tagging recipes I want to try. I will probably never make all the dishes but they are there just waiting for me!

Arroz con Pollo is a traditional Latin dish, rumored to have originated in Puerto Rico. While version vary from country to country, they all have a similar pattern. You fry chicken pieces in oil and then cook vegetables in the drippings. Place the chicken back in the pot, add rice and broth and simmer until rice is done and liquid has evaporated. Very simple, but oh so delicious!

I love the flavorings of Deborah Madison’s Baked Spanish Rice and thought it would lend itself to the traditional Arroz con Pollo. Saffron is the world’s most expensive spice, gathered from the stigmas of crocus flowers. This is a painstaking task that must be done by hand. The good news is that it is so fragrant that you only need a little to flavor an entire dish. If saffron is too expensive for you or you don’t care for its flavor, you can substitute Turmeric or Annato Seeds and still get the intense yellow color. This rice can also be used on its own as a side dish and makes a wonderful filling for Stuffed Bell Peppers.

Jane’s Tips and Hints:

For a potluck dish or to serve at a party, use poached cubed chicken and add during last 15 minutes of cooking to warm through. This makes it much easier for guests to serve themselves and eat.

Kitchen Skill: Browning Chicken

Why: To add flavor to stewed chicken recipes

How: Add chicken to hot oil and cook over medium-high heat until browned on first side. Then flip and brown other side. The trick is to let it cook without moving it to get the best color and a crisp exterior. If you are constantly touching it, the chicken pieces won’t develop a crisp crust. If the chicken sticks to the bottom of the pan, leave it alone. When it has browned it will release on its own. If you try to force it you will tear the skin.