Spanish-style Chicken with Saffron Rice (Arroz con Pollo)

Last night I made another special dinner for Sage. When we began dating, he was working nights as a bartender, so cooking himself dinner wasn't something he did often, but when he did, his favorite meal was saffron rice, chicken and peas. Guess what my very least favorite meal growing up was? (Well, other than other than ham.) So that means he's been able to eat it maybe three times in the past eight years!

But I thought perhaps a more authentic version I might like better, and even if I didn't, it was about him, not me. There are so many versions, because different countries prepare it differently. I choose a Spanish version. Why, I don't know. I just picked one. Maybe because the Spanish ones had tomatoes?? I will admit, I did like it. I found it a little bland, but I thought the olives really enhanced the overall flavor, but Sage pushed his aside, saying they were too salty. Of course, he really enjoyed this meal, but he also would've been just as happy with a package of Vigo yellow rice with peas only and chicken tossed on the George Foreman grill.

This recipe makes a lot. It calls for two cups of rice (which produces something like 6 cups of cooked rice!) I would've cut that back if I wasn't too lazy to try to figure out how to reduce the amount of liquids. Luckily I have a I hubby that likes leftovers. I cut back on the chicken, due to my personal preference, since I only ever take a small serving it for myself, but if you use the entire amount this would easily feed 4-6 people.

Spanish Style-Chicken with Saffron Rice, from Epicurious.com

1 (3 1/2- to 4-lb) chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces (I used 3 breasts, halved)
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil (I used 2 tbsps)
1 large onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I used 1/2 of a red and a whole green)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons paprika (I used sweet paprika)
2 cups long-grain white rice (I used Jasmine long grain)
1 1/4 cups dry white wine
1 (14-oz) can diced tomatoes including juice
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
1 bay leaf (not California)
1 cup frozen peas (not thawed)
1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives, coarsely chopped (mine were just sliced)

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet (at least 2 inches deep) over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chicken on all sides, about 12 minutes total. Transfer chicken to a plate.
2. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet (that's all that was in my pan) and add onion, bell pepper, and salt to taste. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add garlic, paprika, and rice, then cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and boil, uncovered, 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with juice, chicken broth, saffron, and bay leaf. Nestle chicken in rice, adding any juices from plate.
3. Cook, covered, over low heat until chicken is cooked through, rice is tender, and most of liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. (It took much longer for my rice to become tender- more like 25 minutes, but it may have just been my rice.) Remove from heat and stir in peas, olives, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover skillet and let stand 10 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

This recipe claimed to take about half hour of hands-on time and an hour total. I tend to take my time in the kitchen (I have no problem spending an hour making dinner) but this dinner definitely took well over an hour and half. We went ahead and fed Beckett something else, and as I was cooking, Sage tells me to look and this is what I saw: