Puerto Rican Asopao De Pollo

Celticevergreen's Note:

Traditional recipe offered by a PR friend's mother while working in the US Virgin Islands. Similar to Chicken and Rice but more soupy. Cooking time does not include overnight marinade.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

Adobo

• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon peppercorn
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon paprika

Achiote Oil

• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons annatto seeds

Sofrito

• 1 onion , peeled
• 1 medium green bell pepper , seeded
• 3 sweet chili peppers , seeded
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
• 4 garlic cloves
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

Asopao

• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 (4 lb) roasting chickens , washed, rinsed in lemon juice, dried, and cut up
• ½ cup white wine
• ½ cup tomato sauce
• ½ cup rice
• 7 cups water
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 1 tablespoon green olives , chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Grind all the Adobo ingredients together in a mortar and pestle or food processor to make a paste.
2. In a cast-iron or heavy skillet, heat ½ cup olive oil. When very hot, add annatto seeds. Turn heat to low, continue cooking, stirring frequently, for approximately 5 minutes, until oil is a rich orange-red color. Allow to cool, then strain into a clean glass container. Set aside. Discard seeds.
3. Whir all Sofrito ingredients in a blender until chopped.
4. Add 1/4 part of the sofrito with the vinegar to the adobo mixture in a bowl and blend well. Rub the mixture over the chicken pieces. Let marinate in the refrigerator overnight. Place remaining sofrito mixture in tight lidded container and refridgerate.
5. In a soup pot, heat the achiote oil. Add remaining 3/4 part of the sofrito. Cook for 2 minutes.
6. Add chicken. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently to ensure that all the pieces of chicken are seasoned. Continue cooking a few minutes more until the chicken is opaque.
7. Add the white wine and tomato sauce and stir well, then add the rice, water, capers, olives, bay leaves, oregano, and salt. Return the mixture to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, covered, 20 to 25 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.