97: Arroz con Pollo

Ingredients:
2 whole chickens (can be pre-cut, innards included in their own bag)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 sour orange
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 green pepper, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1 can tomato sauce
2 cans pimentos
1 can green peas
1 can asparagus spears
2 Tablespoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
3 1/2 cups dry white wine (or white wine and beer)
2 cups chicken broth (made using the innards and bones from the whole chicken)
5 cups white rice
Pinch of saffron

1. Make a chicken stock with the bones, innards, tomatoes, onions, green pepper, garlic and salt. Or, use a low sodium store-brought brand.
2. Marinade the chicken pieces with the sour orange and minced garlic.
3. Heat the oil in a deep pot and put in the chicken pieces. Let them turn a golden color on all sides.
4. Add the onion, green pepper, tomato sauce, diced pimentos and their liquid, green peas liquid, asparagus liquid, salt, pepper, bay leaf and wine.
5. Ladle one scoopful of hot chicken stock in a small bowl and add a pinch of the saffron. This will allow the saffron to bloom into the chicken stock and you'll have an evenly distributed saffron color and taste.
6. Add the saffron infused chicken stock and the rest of the chicken stock into the pot with the rest of the ingredients.
7. Add a small canful of water to the pot.
8. When the contents start to boil, add the rice and mix well.
9. When everything starts to boil again, mix one last time, lower the heat to low and cover.
10. Cook for 30 minutes.

Serves 8, approximately. Can be decorated with the green peas, pimentos, asparagus spears and hard boiled eggs.