Cuban Chicken and Rice
Betty’s Cuban Chicken and Rice
Betty Hakes, a Mason Ohio reader, loves feeding her family her native Cuban dishes.
This is for Monica, who requested a Cuban chicken dish that she loved as a child. “I don’t remember the exact ingredients, but Mom made it with beer, onions, chicken and garlic”, she said.
I think Betty’s recipe is as close as we’re going to get.
Betty has a website with even more recipes: www.gourmetbetty.com
Film the bottom of a pan with extra virgin olive oil.
1 whole chicken cut up with skin on (or chicken parts, legs, quarters,
breasts with bones - the bones add flavor)
2 small onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 oz can tomato sauce
½ cup vino seco or sherry (you can omit if you do not have)
4 cups of chicken stock or broth
2 cups of beer
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 t cumin
2 t oregano
2 t black pepper
1 can of small peas
1 jar of roasted red peppers
3 cups white rice
Season chicken pieces with garlic salt to taste.
In a large heavy bottom stock pot add olive oil and brown chicken pieces
over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté with chicken
until onions are translucent and chicken is browned. Add tomato sauce and
‘vino seco’ (dry sherry). Reduce temperature to medium and cook
for about 5 min’s.
Add chicken stock, beer, cumin, oregano, black pepper and bouillon.
Taste broth for seasoning and modify if necessary. Raise temperature to allow broth to come to a boil and let chicken cook in broth for about 10 minutes.
When chicken is half way cooked add white rice and the liquid from the can of peas and let it come to a boil. Reduce temperature and cook for about 20- 40 minutes until all water is absorbed. Place on serving platter, add peas to the top and garnish with roasted red peppers.
Watch a video on how Betty makes a simple rice dish: Cuban Rice.
