Arroz con Pollo

...(Rice with chicken, if your Spanish is rusty.)

This is a variation of a Tyler Florence Recipe. Ay dios mio! Was it ever good, and it made a TON of food. Next time I will cut the cayenne in HALF because it was rather caliente for my delicate taste buds. I will make my variations BOLD.

• 2 boneless breasts and 4 bone-in thighs with skin on
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 TB ground cumin
• 1 TB tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (this is about right...I think I used a whole tsp)
  
• 1 pound chorizo, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 Spanish onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (I used my garlic cubes)
  
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups long grain white rice(Carolina brand)
  
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes with liquid (crush by hand)
  
• 1 QT chicken broth (I used a free-range box of broth from Trader Joes)
  
• 1 cup pimento stuffed green olives

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Rinse the chicken pieces and pat dry. In a small bowl, blend 2 tablespoons oil, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, paprika and cayenne. Rub each piece of chicken with the spice paste and let sit for at least 20 minutes for the flavor to develop.

In a heavy, cast iron enamel pot with lid, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Fry the chorizo over medium heat until it is crispy and renders its fat. Remove the chorizo with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Place the chicken in the pan, skin side down, and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes Remove from pan and set aside. Make a sofrito by sauteing the onion, garlic, bell pepper and bay leaves; cooking until the vegetables are very soft and almost dissolved. Stir in the rice so the grains are well coated with the sofrito.

Add the tomatoes and broth, season with salt and pepper. Return the chorizo and chicken to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil and let simmer for 5 minutes. (Rice will settle, so make sure rice is NOT sticking to the bottom because it will burn.) Cover and transfer pot to oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken is done and the rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid. Scatter the olives on top of the chicken and rice before serving.

Salsa Verde:

• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup blanched almonds, toasted
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 lime, juiced

To prepare the Salsa Verde: In a food processor, blend together all ingredients to form a loose paste. Garnish Arroz Con Pollo with Salsa Verde before serving.