How to make Arroz con pollo

Ingredients

• 500 g boneless chicken thighs
• 300 g long-grain white rice
• 750 ml chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 red sweet pepper, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 100 g frozen peas
• 1 teaspoon achiote (annatto) paste or sweet paprika, for colour
• 2 tablespoons Salsa Lizano (or 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce)
• A handful of fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
• Salt

Method

1. Simmer the chicken in the stock for about 20 minutes, until cooked through with no pink inside. Lift it out, shred it with two forks and keep the stock.
2. Heat the oil in a wide pan and fry the onion, garlic, sweet pepper and carrot for 5 minutes. Stir in the achiote or paprika and the rice and fry for 2 minutes.
3. Pour in 600 ml of the hot stock, add a pinch of salt, bring to the boil, then cover and cook on a very low heat for 18 minutes.
4. Stir in the shredded chicken, peas and Salsa Lizano, cover again and leave for 5 minutes, until the peas are hot. Add a little more stock if the rice looks dry.
5. Fork through the coriander and serve with salad or potato chips, as many Costa Rican families do.