Chicken adobo and Latin chicken rice pot

The Latin Americans are famed for spicy chicken dishes. Their food is also chili-laden, so go slow on the pepper if your taste buds are not used to fiery dishes.

Chicken Adobo (from the Philippines)Ingredients

 1 cup white wine vinegar

 1 cup soy sauce

 1/2 cup light brown sugar

 4 cloves garlic, crushed

 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

 2 dried bay leaves

 12 chicken drumsticks

 2 cups chicken broth

 3 tablespoons arrowroot

 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 large limes)

 Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

 Lime wedges

DIRECTIONS

 In a medium bowl, mix the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves. Whisk until the sugar dissolves.

 Lay out chicken in a single layer in a glass baking dish. Pour the marinade over the chicken and refrigerate for 1 hour, then turn chicken and refrigerate for another hour.

 Transfer chicken to a large, high-sided skillet and add the chicken broth.

 Boil over medium-high heat.

 Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 45 to 50 minutes, turning the chicken every 20 minutes, until cooked through.

 Remove chicken from the broth and arrange on a serving platter.

 Pick out the bay leaves and garlic cloves and discard.

 Whisk the arrowroot and lime juice into the broth and boil.

 Cook until the mixture thickens, about 2 minutes.

 Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

 Pour the sauce over the chicken or serve alongside as a dipping sauce.

 Sprinkle with chopped parsley or cilantro and garnish with lime wedges.

b) Latin chicken and rice pot Ingredients  1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

 2 tablespoons butter

 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite size pieces

  Salt and pepper

 2 cups white rice

 3 cups chicken stock

 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

 1 tablespoon (3 teaspoons) sazon seasoning blend (or any available seasoning blend)

 1 cup tomato sauce

 1/4 cup golden raisins

Olive and pepper salsa:  1 cup Spanish olives with pimentos, drained and chopped

 2 vine ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped

 1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

 1 small white skinned onion, chopped

 Several drops hot sauce

 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

 1/2 lemon or lime, juiced

 Salt Instructions Preheat a medium pot over medium heat, add extra-virgin olive oil and butter.

 When butter melts, add chicken and season with salt and pepper.

 Stir and lightly brown the chicken, then add the rice and cook another 1 to 2 minutes.

 Add chicken stock, poultry seasoning, seasoning blend, tomato sauce and raisins.

 Bring the stock to a quick boil, 2 or 3 minutes.

 Reduce heat to low and cook 13 to 15 minutes, until rice is tender but still a little chewy.

 Stir 1/2 cup of prepared olive and pepper salsa to the chicken and rice mixture. Turn off heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

 Serve the prepared Latin rice and chicken in shallow bowls with spoonfuls of salsa and avocado cream to garnish.

KITCHEN TIP

Goodness from freezer scrap bag

Next time you have meat on bone, be it chicken, beef or pork, keep the bone. The same applies to left over vegetable stalks. Freeze them and use to make broth or soup later.