Arroz con Pollo

Ingredients

• 1 (whole bunch) Fresh coriander, blended to a purée; 2 tbsp reserved raw for finishing
• 2–3 Ají amarillo, blended into the coriander purée
• 30 ml Neutral oil, for blending purée and browning
• 1.2–1.4 kg Chicken pieces, bone-in; skin on
• 330 ml Lager beer, one bottle or can
• 500 ml Chicken stock
• 300 g Long-grain white rice, rinsed
• To serve
• Tostones (twice-fried plantain), prepared separately
• Salsa criolla, red onion, ají amarillo, lime

Method

1. 1
   Blend the entire bunch of coriander with the ají amarillo and 30 ml of oil to a smooth, vivid green purée. Reserve 2 tablespoons of raw purée aside for finishing. The purée must be intense in colour and smell; a pale or watery result indicates insufficient coriander.
2. 2
   Pat the chicken pieces dry. Brown them in oil over a high heat in the braising pot, turning once, until the skin is deep golden on all sides. Pale, unbrowned chicken will produce pale green rice. The skin should release cleanly from the pan when the crust has formed.
3. 3
   Remove the chicken. In the same pot, add the coriander-ají purée and cook it in the residual fat over a medium heat, stirring continuously, until it darkens slightly and smells cooked through rather than raw — this step is where the dish lives or dies: raw purée added directly to stock produces a bland, bitter base that no subsequent cooking will correct.
4. 4
   Return the chicken to the pot. Pour in the lager and chicken stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and braise, partially covered, until the chicken is cooked through and yields easily when pressed but has not fallen apart. The liquid should remain at a low, steady movement — not a rolling boil.
5. 5
   Lift the chicken pieces out and set aside. Measure the remaining liquid; adjust with stock if needed to the quantity required for the rice. Bring to a simmer, add the rinsed rice, and stir once to distribute evenly. Cook uncovered until the surface liquid has almost entirely absorbed and craters begin to appear across the surface of the rice.
6. 6
   Return the chicken pieces on top of the rice. Cover the pot tightly and reduce the heat to its lowest setting. Cook until the rice is fully tender and no liquid remains at the base of the pot. Do not lift the lid prematurely; uneven steaming produces patchy texture. The rice is done when a wooden spoon drawn to the edge reveals a dry, green-stained base.
7. 7
   Off the heat, stir the reserved 2 tablespoons of raw coriander purée through the rice. The finished dish should be vivid green, deeply aromatic, and carry a distinct fresh coriander note above the cooked, integrated base. Serve with tostones and salsa criolla.