Group Project: Let's make Arroz con Pollo

[Jenise]

The classic Spanish chicken and rice dish. It's a perfect autumnal kind of meal, a quick, light and colorful braise that fills the house with wonderful smells and pairs well with lighter red wines.

Where I got this idea: I woke up this morning thinking that chicken and rice is what I want for dinner. So Arroz con Pollo came to mind, but it's not a dish that I have a singular idea about what it should be beyond the memory of my first wonderful experience with the dish, made by teen boyfriend Richard's adorable Mexican mother. Hers was a humbling revelation about the possibilities of refined Mexican food that I had not yet understood from the Sonoran style combo-plate Mexican food that prevailed--no, dominated completely-- the genre in the Los Angeles of my youth. Her Arroz con Pollo was brothy yet saturated with chicken flavor and just a hint of red chile.

So just now I went romping around the internet to look at what others have done with the dish. I don't need a recipe per se, I was just looking for inspiration with which to approach it differently than I have in the past. How would, I specifically wondered, Rick Bayless make it. And I didn't stumble over an answer to that, but what I observed is that nearly every Latin culture on the planet has put their own distinct ethnic stamp on their version of the dish. Some think that the dish must have a signature yellow color, and for that some use annato seed where others use saffron. Some others would say that saffron's all wrong, that's a paella, the dish can and should stand on it's own without that ingredient. And some, like Richard's mother, would probably ask "what's saffron?" and then inform you that even if she could afford it she wouldn't have it in her food.

And once you've considered all that, stand back and look at the basic ingredients of chicken, rice, broth and vegetables, and you realize that just about every culture on the planet with access to both poultry and grain also has an 'Arroz con Pollo' in their comfort food repertoire.

Which is why I think it would make a splendid group project, and we haven't done one in awhile: make a Chicken and Rice dish and then post about the results. The basic ingredients are simple and pretty universally likable: chicken, rice, liquid, vegetables. Choose to make it in any Latin style you wish, or go rogue and consider how to adapt it to your own cultural identity. There's only one thing about it that's true: there's no wrong way to make it.

The only version I wouldn't reccomend is one I saw on Allrecipes.com, which tries to pay the dish a huge compliment by comparing the results to something you'd get from Hamburger Helper, and which calls for instant rice. We're all waaaaaaaaaaay past that.

So what say y'all? Give it some thought, and report back next Monday. Tell us why you decided to make what you did, and provide pictures if possible.

Who's in?

I'm in...making a typical Arroz con Pollo, with my twist.

I've never tried this one, so it's a good opportunity for something new.

Count me in.

I want to join in with this!

When growing up, my mother used to make "Spanish Rice", which was basically rice with a tomato sauce and ground beef. While in my late teens, my sister was living in Boston, sharing a fifth floor walk-up apartment (about 2 blocks from Fenway Park) with 3 other girls, one of whom was Puerto Rican. While visiting, this girl made her mother's version of "Spanish Rice". It was chicken cooked with rice and chic peas. I loved it and have made this several times, using chicken stock, onions and sweet red peppers. Sometimes I add a touch of cumin. I'm not sure if this is what you're talking about here.

[Jenise]

It was chicken cooked with rice and chic peas. I loved it and have made this several times, using chicken stock, onions and sweet red peppers. Sometimes I add a touch of cumin. I'm not sure if this is what you're talking about here.

That's a valid version. So would be a Cajun Jambalaya or a Hungarian risi bisi. All that's required is that the chicken and rice be cooked together. However, to fully get into the spirit of this, rather than do the dish you're already familiar with you would choose to explore a version you haven't made before.

I am in for sure, lets go!

I'm in for sure! Got a jar of preserved lemons I made about a year ago. Wondering what that might add to the flavor -- h-m-m-m-m-mmm!

Just to tell you where my head is at, some of the first things I thought of were Oyako Don, which is a Japanese dish, Oyako means "parent and child" so the chicken is served with an egg, and a "Don" means food served over a bowl of rice. And Nasi Lemak which is often served with chicken, but perhaps more to the point would be Singapore Chicken and Rice. Rice cooked with ginger, garlic, cilantro, etc, very fragrant. Anyway not positive I will get anything done "on schedule" (is there a schedule?) but there are certainly endless possibilities. You can make a great Paella with chicken as the main meat... Or a simple Persian Chelokebab with Jujeh kebab, Chelo = rice and kebab = a skewer of meat.

[David M. Bueker]

My wife's family has a chicken & rice dish with more of a "cajun" flair than anything latin. I think if I were to make something that was different I might get drummed out of the family.

Second thought, the chicken must COOK WITH the rice -- so none of the Asian dishes I thought of would work. Even though the connection between the chicken and the rice is intimate on the plate, and they are always served together, they are cooked separately. So only the Paella really qualifies.

I would have edited this into my post but the SQL monster won't let me!

When growing up, my mother used to make "Spanish Rice", which was basically rice with a tomato sauce and ground beef. While in my late teens, my sister was living in Boston, sharing a fifth floor walk-up apartment (about 2 blocks from Fenway Park) with 3 other girls, one of whom was Puerto Rican. While visiting, this girl made her mother's version of "Spanish Rice". It was chicken cooked with rice and chic peas. I loved it and have made this several times, using chicken stock, onions and sweet red peppers. Sometimes I add a touch of cumin. I'm not sure if this is what you're talking about here.

I first had it in a home in Puerto Rico. One of the key elements was achiote/annatto used for color and flavor. The color was reddish. I think that is one of the tweeks made by each individual area/country. Some might use paprika, saffron, annatto or some other "colorante". The same goes for what vegetables are grown. The only two constants are the rice(arroz) & the chicken(pollo).

My wife's family has a chicken & rice dish with more of a "cajun" flair than anything latin. I think if I were to make something that was different I might get drummed out of the family.

At least you hang out with people whose first thought when hearing 'chicken and rice' is 'ooh, biryani'!

[Jenise]

Second thought, the chicken must COOK WITH the rice -- so none of the Asian dishes I thought of would work. Even though the connection between the chicken and the rice is intimate on the plate, and they are always served together, they are cooked separately. So only the Paella really qualifies.

I would have edited this into my post but the SQL monster won't let me!

But Persian works! I'm thinking of a layered rice/cabbage/herb/meatball dish using chicken, already partially cooked (marinated/poached), instead. The cooking method will produce a tahdig, too.

That sounds delicious Jenise!! And really interesting.

Now I am thinking of Coulibiac, кулебяка

The chicken is cooked a little separately but then cooked with rice and mushrooms and sauce in a pastry crust.

Classic coulibiac is made with fish as the meat but the chicken dish is an acceptable variant.

http://www.fourman.dsl.pipex.com/recipe ... biac.shtml

Hmmmm. Semi illegal I suppose...

Fessenjan is another great chicken and rice dish but only combined on the plate.

Biriani sounds intriguing, I haven't made that for years.

oops, I thought this was an Arroz con Pollo.

[Jenise]

oops, I thought this was an Arroz con Pollo.

It is. But I also said: Choose to make it in any Latin style you wish, or go rogue and consider how to adapt it to your own cultural identity.

[David M. Bueker]

go rogue and consider how to adapt it to your own cultural identity.[/i]

So I am essentially German/Irish.

I can do sausage with spatzle or just about anything with potatoes.

[Jenise]

David, that's doable! I made a French version on Wednesday to pair with a 2000 Burg.