Healthy version of Colombian chef Ingrid Hoffman
Arroz con Pollo is one of the most typical and versatile dishes in Latin America. Each Latin country has its own version. My recipe is a creation based on the Colombian version, to which I made small changes so that it is in line with a healthier lifestyle. Brown rice replaces white rice and I added more vegetables to give it more texture and make it crunchy. I replaced the tomato sauce (ketchup) sold in the supermarket with a homemade version that is very easy to prepare and contains much less sugar and no additives.
Ingredients:
- 1 (3 1/2-pound) organic skinless chicken cut into 8 pieces
- 4 cups organic or low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup of light beer
- 1 medium yellow onion cut into quarters
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 6 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons organic seasoning mix
- 2 cups organic brown rice
- 8 oz. beans or green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces (approximately one cup)
- 2 medium carrots, chopped (approx. ¾ cup)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 red pepper (paprika, bell pepper) with seeds and cut into thin slices
- 1 green pepper (paprika, bell pepper), with seeds and cut into thin slices
- 1 yellow onion cut into thin slices
- 1 cup homemade tomato sauce (see recipe below)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup olives stuffed with pepper
Preparation:
Combine chicken, chicken broth, beer, onion, ½ cup cilantro, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and seasoning mixture in saucepan until boiling. Reduce the heat, cover the pot and cook over low heat until the chicken is tender and completely cooked (approx. 35 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate to cool. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken (remove bones) and set aside.
Filter or strain the broth in which this mixture was cooked and discard the onions and cilantro. Pour the broth back into the saucepan and heat over medium heat. Add the rice, beans, carrots and ¾ teaspoon salt. Let it boil. Reduce the heat and cover the pot until the liquid has evaporated and the rice is soft (approx. 40 minutes).
Meanwhile, in a non-stick pan, cook the peppers (peppers, bell peppers), the chopped onion and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender (approx. 8 minutes). Add the chopped or shredded chicken.
Add the previous mixture to the rice mixture. Add tomato sauce (ketchup), peas and olives until heated through. Remove from heat and add the remaining ½ cup cilantro.
Servings: 9 (equivalent to 9 cups)
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 and 1/2 hours (not including ketchup recipe)
HOMEMADE TOMATO SAUCE (KETCHUP)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 (28-ounce) cup organic tomato puree
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
Preparation:
Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender (approx. 8 minutes). Add the rest of the ingredients and let it boil. Reduce the heat to low, leave it uncovered and stir occasionally to prevent burning until the tomato sauce (ketchup) is thick and the flavors have blended (approximately 1 hour).
Servings: 4 cups
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes
