Colombian Arroz Con Pollo

threeovens's Note:

This is a pretty chicken and rice casserole that is made from chicken wing pieces. You can buy them already separated or cut them up yourself. This is how my husband remembers his Grandma made it back in Bogota (with a little tweaking from me, heh heh heh). DH likes it served with maduros and patacones. Feel free to substitute with brown rice, but it will need to cook about 10 minutes longer, or more.

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 lb chicken wings
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon saffron thread
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cubanelle pepper, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine or 1/4 cup beer
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cups rice
• 8 ounces frozen peas and carrots
• 1/2 cup pimento-stuffed green olives, sliced
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 4 ounces roasted red peppers, cut into strips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare chicken wings by cutting off the tips (either toss or use to make broth later); separate wings into two pieces at the joint.
3. Season generously with salt, pepper, and oregano; set aside while preparing the other ingredients.
4. Heat broth and saffron, over low heat, in a small covered saucepan (this releases the yellow color from the saffron which will color the rice beautifully).
5. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven, over medium heat, and brown chicken pieces on all sides, about 8 - 10 minutes; remove, cover, and set aside (they may not be cooked through).
6. Add onions and peppers to Dutch oven and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
7. Add garlic; cook about 1 minute.
8. Add wine or beer and scrape bottom of pan to remove the brown bits that have stuck onto the pan's bottom.
9. Add bay leaf, red pepper flakes, rice, and broth with saffron; stir to combine.
10. Bring mixture almost to a boil, then cover and put in oven (or pour into a pretty oven-safe covered casserole).
11. Cook in oven until rice is almost tender, about 25 minutes.
12. Nestle chicken pieces into the rice; rinse peas and carrots, green olives, and capers in a large strainer and distribute over chicken and rice.
13. Arrange red pepper strips over all, cover, and return to oven until chicken is cooked through and rice is tender, about 10 minutes.