Arroz con Pollo, Peruvian Style

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• 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
• 12 chicken thighs, skinned and patted dry
• 12 chicken drumsticks with skin, patted dry
• Salt and black pepper
• 3 bunches fresh cilantro, leaves picked from stems
• 12 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 aji (Peruvian) pepper, seeded and deveined
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup orange juice
• 4 cups uncooked white rice
• 4 onions, chopped
• 1 cup white wine
• 7 cups chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 bell peppers, any color, sliced into rings
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas

Place a large skillets over medium heat, pour 4 tablespoons of olive oil into it, and heat oil until it ripples.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and fry until golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes.  Remove the chicken and drain on paper towels.

Place the cilantro, garlic, aji pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and orange juice into a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour into the skillet, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring over medium-low heat until the mixture turns from bright to dark green, about 5 minutes.


Place the chopped onions into 4 tbsp of heated olive oil in a large dutch oven.  Cook and stir over medium-low heat until the onions turn translucent, 5-7 minutes.  Stir in the rice.  Cook and stir until the rice starts to turn opaque, about 5 minutes.


Pour the wine into the blender and pulse a few times to rinse off any extra cilantro mixture, then pour the win into the skillet with the cilantro mixture.  Add the cilantro mixture to the rice mixture and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stir in the chicken broth and black pepper, then bring to a boil.  Place the browned chicken pieces and carrots into the Dutch oven, stir to mix, and cover.  Place the pepper rings on the rice and sprinkle in the frozen peas.  Reduce heat and cook until rice is separate and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.


Uncover the skillet and allow to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.


Serves 12