Grandma's Cuban Chicken and Rice

My Cuban grandmother, Zoila, use to make this all the time. No one seemed to remember her ingredients* until I checked with my older cousin, Jack. He knows what was in the dish after all these decades. Thanks Jack.-Mike

Arroz con Pollo

Serves 8

Preheat the oven to 325℉ (165℃)

½ cup (120 ml) olive oil

1 medium organic green bell pepper, cut in rounds

3 pounds (1450 g) organic or free range bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks

1 cup (240 ml) dry white wine

4 cups (960 ml) water

1 grated medium yellow onion

1 cup (240 ml) each: drained and sliced pimientos and fresh or frozen organic peas

¼ cup (60 ml) tomato paste

3 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste

1 Tbs. (15 ml) sea salt

1 cube chicken bouillon

1 tsp. (5 ml) Bijo powder or grounded achiote seeds

½ tsp. (2,5 ml) each dried: oregano and nutmeg

3 ½ cups (840 ml) short-grain rice

1. Sauté the green peppers in the oil over medium-high heat.

2. Add pieces of chicken and brown on both sides, 2-3 minutes per side.

3. Remove the pieces and continue with the remaining chicken.

4. Remove the green peppers and discard, add the rest of the chicken.

5. Deglaze the pot with wine and bring to a simmer. Scrap up the browned bits.

6. Return all the chicken to the pot.

7. Add the remaining ingredients except for the rice and part of the pimientos. Bring to a simmer.

8. Stir in the rice and simmer over medium-high for 10 minutes.

9. Remove the pot from the heat, cover with a tight lid, place in the preheated oven.

10. Bake about 20 minutes, until the rice is tender but still moist.

11. Remove from the oven.

12. Garnish with the reserved pimientos.

*With the help of The Cuban Table, we go from "a little of this and a pinch that" to proportions.

Try Judy's version:
http://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/2015/12/chicken-with-rice.html