Arroz Valenciana
Arroz Valenciana is the perfect one-pot rice dish for family dinners and special occasions. It's colorful, flavorful, and sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 547kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups long-grain rice (Jasmine)
- ½ cup glutinous rice
- 1 tablespoon canola or olive oil
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- ½ pound boneless chicken thigh or leg meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 5 ounces (about 2 pieces) chorizo de bilbao, cut into ½-inch thick on a bias
- ¼ teaspoon Saffron
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 ½ cups coconut milk
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 small green bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced thinly into strips
- 1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced thinly into strips
- ½ cup frozen green peas, thawed
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine long grain and glutinous rice. Rinse a few times with cold water until water runs clear. Drain well.
- In a wide, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions, garlic and cook until softened.
- Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until color changes and lightly browns.
- Add chorizo de bilbao and cook until lightly browned and releases color.
- Add saffron and cook for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
- Add fish sauce and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add rice and cook, stirring regularly, for about 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly toasted.
- Add coconut milk, broth, and tomato paste. Stir until well combined.
- Add green peas and ½ of the green and red bell peppers and stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Lower heat, cover, and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for about 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork to distribute.
- Garnish with the remaining bell peppers and serve hot.
Notes
- Drain the rice well using a fine-mesh sieve as the excess liquid might affect the cooked texture.
- The recipe calls for boneless chicken thigh meat for use of preparation; feel free to swap with bone-in chicken parts.
- Saffron gives the dish its distinct color and flavor, but use it sparingly as it's a very strong spice and has a bitter taste. For a more economical option, substitute safflower or locally known as kasubha.
- Use a large enough cookware for the rice to have enough space to expand. Make sure it has a tight-fitting lid so the steam doesn’t escape.
- After the rice is cooked, let stand, covered, for about 5 minutes before fluffing to absorb the extra moisture.
Nutrition
Calories: 547kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 1054mg | Potassium: 524mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 982IU | Vitamin C: 54mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 4mg