Quick Potted Spanish Chicken
December 2009
To get this complex-tasting dish done in 30 minutes, you'll be cooking the sauce and the chicken in four separate pans. Hey, let the eaters take care of the dishes—you cooked!
Makes: 4 servings
- 1 large dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup white rice
- 1/4cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 ribs celery from the heart, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, grated or chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8teaspoon ground cinnamon
- A few pinches ground cloves
- Salt and pepper
- 1 28 ouncecan diced or whole fire-roasted tomatoes
- 4 small pieces bone-in chicken breast, halved crosswise
- 1/2cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- In a small saucepan, bring the ancho chile and 1 cup chicken stock to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until softened, 10 minutes.
- In a saucepan, bring the remaining 2 cups chicken stock and the butter to a boil. Stir in the rice, cover and simmer for 18 minutes. Remove from the heat; fluff with a fork.
- In another large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, garlic, bay leaves, coriander, cumin, cinnamon and cloves; season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and heat for 5 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a food processor, discarding the bay leaves. Add the soaked ancho and its liquid and process until smooth.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet with a lid, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, add to the skillet skin side down and cook until browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Flip over and add the reserved sauce. Cover and cook the chicken through, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Serve the chicken on the rice and top with the parsley.