Locrio de Pollo [Video+Recipe] Dominican Rice and Chicken

Locrio de pollo – a Dominican rice and chicken recipe – is probably descended from the Spanish paella, it combines herbs, rice, chicken and vegetables in a juicy rice dish that will knock your socks off.

📝 Ingredients

• 3 pound bone-in chicken ([1.8 kg], cut into small pieces)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt ((or rmore, to taste) divided)
• 1 teaspoon oregano (dry, ground)
• 1 sprig cilantro ((fresh coriander))
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground) (or to taste)
• 1 bell pepper ((or cubanelle pepper) chopped)
• 1 small red onion (minced)
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon mashed garlic
• 1/8 cup capers
• 1/8 cup pitted green olives (halved )
• Juice of 1 lime
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 cup diced auyama (kabocha squash) (or carrot (both optional))
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 2 cups rice

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- 1. Marinade the chicken ---
2. 2Marinate chicken: In a bowl combine chicken, salt, oregano, cilantro, pepper, bell pepper, onion, celery, garlic, capers, olives, and lime juice. Mix well, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
3. 3--- 2. Cook the chicken ---
4. 4Brown chicken: In the cast iron or aluminum pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat, reserving 2 tablespoons for later use. Add the sugar to the heated oil.When the sugar turns dark brown, add the chicken (reserving the vegetables and herbs from the marinade), being careful not to splash the oil. Stir for one minute.Add the vegetables from the marinade, auyama, tomato sauce, and stir to combine. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.
5. 5--- 3. Add the rice ---
6. 6Add rice: Taste the water and season with salt to taste. Add the rice and stir often to prevent it from sticking too much to the bottom.Once the water has evaporated, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Uncover and stir, moving the rice from the bottom to the top.Cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Taste the rice to see if it is ready; it should be firm but tender inside. If it is not fully cooked, cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
7. 7--- 4. Serve ---
8. 8Serving: Serve per suggestions above the recipe.