Arroz con Pollo | Serves 8
8-10 bone-in chicken thighs
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup olive oil
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 Spanish onion, diced
1 16 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup pimentos
1 cup early peas, petit pois or frozen peas
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
1 12 oz beer (preferably a Mexican lager like Corona)
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups of Valencia or Bomba rice
One big pinch of saffron
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large Dutch oven, brown chicken on both sides in olive oil and remove from the pan.
3. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and tomato to the pan, scraping the brown bits of chicken from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
4. Add the chicken broth, bay leaf, saffron and beer and bring to a boil.
5. Add the rice and arrange chicken on top.
6. Once it comes back to a boil, cover and put it in the oven for 30 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and garnish with the peas and pimentos and finish with the lemon juice.
About the Chef
Chef Alfredo “ Fredo” Nogueira, affectionately known as Chef Fredo, is the chef-partner of acclaimed bars and restaurants Cane & Table and VALS, and executive chef of Cure. A NOLA native of Cuban descent, his culinary style is shaped by his love for Cajun cuisine and his Cuban heritage. Recently, Cane & Table was recognized by The New York Times and Bon Appétit and, this past fall, he launched the restaurant’s Cuban Supper Club series that features a rotating menu of nostalgic Cuban dishes inspired by his upbringing.
