The result, a delicious and easy Latin feast that took less than 30 minutes to prepare and cook (not including marinating time). No cookbooks or culinary school degree needed for this one- just a hint of cooking know-how and foodie pizzaz. Watch out, Rachael Ray, I'm hot on your heels.
Quick Kicked Up Latin Chicken and Rice
(Serves 2)
Yellow Rice:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup short- or medium-grain rice (not brown or wild rice)
1/2 packet Sazon Tropical with annato and coriander
1 cup dry white wine (I used sauvignon blanc)*
1 (14 oz.) can chicken or vegetable broth
Salt and pepper, to taste
Mojo Chicken with Caramelized Onions and Bell Peppers:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (thawed out if frozen, duh)
1 1/2 cups Mojo marinade
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons each salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 white onion, sliced into strips
1 green bell pepper, core removed and sliced into strips
1/2 cup dry white wine*
Roasted Asparagus:
1/2 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed (about 12 medium-sized stalks)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Garnish:
1 scallion, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1. Marinate the chicken breasts in the Mojo, oregano, and garlic powder in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a medium-sized pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and let cook for minute, the add the rice, stirring to coat in oil. Add half the packet of Sazon and stir. Pour in wine and broth, add salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. When it comes to a boil, lower to med.-low heat and let simmer, partially covered. Stir occasionally.
3. After you get the rice to the simmering stage, heat a large saute pan over med-high heat and add olive oil. When pan is hot, add the chicken breasts and cook on each side for about a minute or two, or until you get a nice golden-brown color on both sides. Turn down the heat, remove the chicken and place it on one side of a baking sheet (leaving room for the asparagus on the other side of it).
4. Add olive oil to the saute pan, raise heat to medium, and add the onion and bell pepper. Saute for a few minutes and when they start to soften, add the wine. Let cook about 7-10 minutes, turning down the heat halfway through cooking time. (Don't forget to stir that rice!)
5. While the pepper and onion cooks, toss the asparagus with the olive oil, salt and pepper, and put in on the same pan that the chicken is cooking on. Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Cook for 5 minutes, stir around, then cook for another 5 minutes. When the onions and peppers are caramelized, remove the pan from the heat.
6. When the rice is cooked, turn off the heat. When the asparagus looks cooked (it should have a "roasted" look to it and not be tough), remove the baking pan from the oven and check to see if the chicken is cooked all the way through (if not, remove asparagus from pan and throw it back in the oven until cooked).
7. Serve the chicken on top of the rice, topped with the caramelized onions and peppers, and the asparagus under the chicken or beside it. Garnish with chopped cilantro and scallions.
*Hopefully, you save some of that wine you were cooking with to enjoy it alongside your tasty Latin meal.
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