Arroz con pollo in this area is a regional, classic dish and I truly love it. This is another take on this area staple, with Japonica rice (a black and mahogany rice) with saffron infused white beans and grilled chicken. It has very few ingredients, and other than the time it takes for the rice to cook itself, it’s a very simple dish. You can find this rice at most gourmet markets and health stores.
Ingredients – rice
1 cup Japonica rice
2 cups of chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 TB butter or olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano
Ingredients – saffron infused white beans
2 cans of navy beans or 24 oz of cooked dry navy beans
1/2 tsp saffron
1/8 cup reduced orange juice from the original two cups (see below)
2 TB poblano chili (finely diced)
sea salt to taste
Ingredients – chicken
2 chicken breasts (or one whole breast cut in half)
sea salt, white pepper
2 cups of orange juice
1 lime
Method
In a saucepan, add all of the ingredients for the rice and bring up to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for 50 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Place the orange juice for the chicken in a small saucepan and reduce over medium high heat until there is 1/4 cup remaining, being careful not to boil over. Salt and pepper the chicken on both sides and place on the grill over indirect heat for about 6 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Put about 2 TB of the orange juice in a small bowl and during the last two minutes of cooking brush that orange juice over the top side of the chicken. While the chicken is grilling, put the beans in a saucepan with the other ingredients for the white beans and bring up to a simmer. Put the black rice on the center of the plate with some saffron-infused white beans on top and fan out the chicken breast around it. Spoon some of the remaining orange juice reduction over the chicken. Cut the lime into wedges and serve on the plate to be squeezed over the dish. Enjoy!
