Chicken Dinners
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[Photograph: Yvonne Ruperti]

About the author: Yvonne Ruperti is a food writer, recipe developer, former bakery owner, and author of The Complete Idiot's Guide To Easy Artisan Bread. You can also watch her culinary stylings on the America's Test Kitchen television show. She presently lives in Singapore working on her new baking cookbook, and as a recipe developer for HungryGoWhere Singapore. Check out her blog: shophousecook.com . Follow Yvonne on Twitter.

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About This Recipe

Yield: serves 4
Active time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 8 ounces italian sausage, sliced into 1/2-inch thick pieces
  • 3 pound whole chicken, broken down into 8 pieces (or 1 1/2 pounds chicken legs, thighs)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 medium onions, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
  • 1 large green bell pepper, finely chopped (about 1 3/4 cup)
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced (about 5 teaspoons)
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano, divided
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro, leaves chopped, tender stems finely chopped, divided
  • 2 cups long grain rice
  • 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
  • 1 cup green olives
  • 3 cups homemade or store-bought low sodium chicken stock
  • 1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes, puréed
  • 1 (14-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
  • Pinch granulated sugar

Procedures

  1. In large Dutch oven or 12-inch straight sided skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat until shimmering. Brown sausage pieces on both sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer to plate.

  2. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place skin side down in pot. Cook until both sides are well browned, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to plate.

  3. Add 2 tablespoons oil, onion, bell pepper, teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to pot. Cook until vegetables have softened and are beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, 2 teaspoons oregano, and cilantro stems. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

  4. Stir in one tablespoon oil, rice, adobo (if using), and saffron threads. Cook, stirring, for one minute. Stir in olives, 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, sausage, and chicken broth. Tuck chicken pieces into rice and bring to simmer. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.

  5. In small saucepan, heat puréed tomatoes, garbanzo beans, remaining tablespoon oil, remaining teaspoon oregano, pinch sugar, and pinch salt over medium heat to simmer. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, season to taste, and serve on the side to spoon over rice.