Cuban · intermediate
Cuban Saffron Chicken And Rice Skillet With Sweet Peas And Pimientos
A classic Cuban-style vibrant one-skillet chicken and rice infused with aromatic garlic sofrito, saffron threads, sweet peas, and red pimientos.
- PREP TIME
- 15 min
- COOK TIME
- 35 min
- SERVES
- 4
Good things
start in the kitchen.
LET’S MAKE IT
Step by step
- 01
Season chicken thighs lightly with salt, black pepper, and half the minced garlic.
- 02
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear chicken thighs for 4 minutes per side until golden brown, then transfer to a plate.
- 03
Add remaining garlic, diced onion, and green bell pepper to the skillet, sauteing for 4 minutes until softened into a fragrant sofrito.
- 04
Stir in the rinsed rice, coating the grains evenly in the oil and vegetable mixture for 1 minute.
- 05
Pour in chicken broth and crushed saffron threads, stirring well to distribute color and dissolve browned bits from the pan.
- 06
Nestle the chicken thighs back into the rice mixture and bring the liquid to a rolling boil.
- 07
Reduce heat to low, cover tightly with a lid, and simmer undisturbed for 20 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
- 08
Fold in thawed sweet peas and sliced pimientos, cover for 3 minutes off heat to warm through, and serve.
A LITTLE KITCHEN KNOW-HOW
Sofrito Base Building
Cooking finely diced aromatic vegetables slowly in fat to create a concentrated flavor foundation for rice stews.
Notes from the kitchen
- Rinse white rice under cold water until clear to prevent the skillet dish from turning sticky.
- Keep the skillet tightly sealed during simmering so the rice cooks evenly without drying out.
- Original home-cooking adaptation inspired by Cuban; regional versions vary.
- Use halal-certified meat, poultry, stock, sauces, cheese and other processed ingredients. Check labels and avoid cross-contamination. Recipe screening is not halal certification.