'50s I LOVE LUCY
When Ricky and Fred switch roles with Lucy and Ethel ("Job Switching" first aired on September 15, 1952), Ricky decides he wants to make his native Cuban arroz con pollo for dinner. You know there's going to be trouble when Ricky asks Fred if a pound of rice per person sounds right — and sure enough, before long, mountains of rice are bubbling out of a pot, and chicken is exploding from a pressure cooker. Here's a tamer approach.
Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr
Recipe information
Total Time
2 1/2 hr
Yield
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
For chicken
For rice
Special Equipment
Preparation
Prepare chicken:
Step 1
Purée garlic, orange juice, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a blender until smooth. Put chicken pieces in a large bowl and pour purée over them, turning to coat. Marinate chicken, covered and chilled, turning occasionally, 1 hour.
Step 2
Transfer chicken, letting excess marinade drip back into bowl, to paper towels, then pat dry. Reserve marinade.
Step 3
Heat oil and butter in 6- to 7-quart pot over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then brown chicken in 2 or 3 batches, without crowding, turning occasionally, about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken as browned to a plate, reserving fat in pot.
Prepare rice and bake arroz con pollo:
Step 4
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat to 350°F.
Step 5
Sauté onions, bell peppers, and garlic in fat in pot over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally and scraping up brown bits from chicken, until vegetables are softened, 6 to 8 minutes.
Step 6
While vegetables cook, heat saffron in a dry small skillet over low heat, shaking skillet, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine and bring to a simmer, then remove from heat.
Step 7
Add cumin and salt to vegetables and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in saffron mixture, bay leaf, tomatoes (including juice), broth, water, and reserved marinade and bring to a boil.
Step 8
Add all chicken except breast pieces, skin sides up, and gently simmer, covered, over low heat 10 minutes. Stir in rice, then add breast pieces, skin sides up, and arrange chicken in 1 layer. Return to a simmer.
Step 9
Cover pot tightly, then transfer to oven and bake until rice is tender and most of liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Step 10
Scatter peas, olives, and pimientos over rice and chicken (do not stir) and let stand, pot covered with a kitchen towel, until peas are heated through and any remaining liquid is absorbed by rice, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf.
