Portuguese Chicken with Rice – Arroz de Galinha

This one pot dish for any day of the week has always been a family favorite. It’s often requested and called;  Portuguese Chicken and Rice. I’ve added mushrooms for a variation, but this is optional to your taste. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

8 to 10 pieces of chicken (I used skinless thighs)

2 cups long grain

1 medium onion (finely chopped)

1 large carrot (chopped) optional

1 large ripe tomato (chopped)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons of salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1 bay leaf

6 or more cups of boiling water

1 Knorr chicken bouillon cube or 1 cup chicken broth

1 large carrot (chopped) (optional)

1 cup frozen peas (optional)

chopped parsley for garnish

Preparation:

Season the chicken with the spices and let marinade for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Brown the chicken on both sides in the olive oil in a very large deep skillet. Add the onion bay leaf and tomato, and saute for about 5 minutes.

Add the water, bouillon, cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes.  Add the rice, stir let come to a boil and cover. Let cook for about 15 minutes longer.

Taste the rice for doneness. I like a firm rice, but if you prefer a more well done rice cook longer. Add more boiling water if you find the rice has dried out.

When the rice is cooked, turn off heat and spread the mushrooms over it and cover. The steam will cook the mushrooms so need to keep cooking.

When ready to serve top with chopped parsley or scallions.