Arroz con Pollo — Print Recipe

Fragrant rice cooked with chicken, tomatoes, and a blend of African and Spanish spices, tinted golden with palm oil. A dish that perfectly embodies the culinary fusion of Equatorial Guinea.

Ingredients

1kg chicken pieces
3 cups long-grain rice, washed
4 ripe tomatoes, blended
2 large onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp palm oil
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 bay leaf
4 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions

1 Season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, cumin, and smoked paprika. Let them sit for twenty minutes to absorb the spices.
2 Heat palm oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces on all sides for about eight minutes total. Remove and set aside.
3 In the same pot, saute the diced onions and bell pepper until softened, about seven minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste, cooking two minutes more.
4 Pour in the blended tomatoes and cook for eight minutes until the sauce thickens and the oil begins to separate from the tomatoes.
5 Add the washed rice to the pot and stir to coat every grain with the tomato sauce. Cook for two minutes, stirring constantly.
6 Return the chicken pieces to the pot, add the chicken broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for twenty-five minutes without lifting the lid.
7 Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for ten minutes. Fluff with a fork, remove the bay leaf, and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve hot.

Did You Know?

Arroz con Pollo in Equatorial Guinea uses palm oil instead of olive oil, giving the rice a distinctive golden-orange color not found in the Spanish original.