Chicken With Rice (Arroz con Pollo)

Ingredients

·         3 1/2 lbs chicken, cut in pieces

·         3 cups long-grain rice

·         3 1/2 cups chicken stock

·         1/2 cup basic sofrito (1/4 onion, 1 green pepper, chopped and 3 mashed garlic cloves)

·         1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

·         One bay leave

·         2 tablespoons alcaparrado (olives and capers)

·         1 teaspon culantro and annatto season

·         2 oz tomato sauce

·         2 tablespoons oil (to stir-fry the chicken)

·         Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

·         Season chicken ahead of time with adobo.

·         Heat the oil in a caldero or Dutch oven to medium heat. Stir in chicken and brown on each side for approximately 5 minutes.

·         Stir in sofrito, olives, capers, season, tomato sauce, cumin and sauté for about 3 minutes at low heat.

·         Stir in rice. Mix well with the sofrito and bay leave, add water; bring to boil.

·         When rice is drying a little bit, lower heat to the lowest and cover. Continue cooking for about 20 to 25 more minutes, until rice is completely cooked. Serve with red beans and a salad on the side.