Arroz Imperial

This has to be the family's most favorite dish of all time from my kitchen.  They ask for it constantly and fight over the leftovers.  It's a dish I grew up with for special occasions but in my house, it's a staple. There are again a million ways to make this dish and this is my version.  You can also cheat and use the foil packets of saffron yellow rice.  You can make your own yellow rice with the goya con azafaron packets or saffron threads.  I am going to list the saffron threads type as this is what my family prefers the most.  But it's easily done with the other two methods.  I use the larger foil packet (calls for 6 cups of water).  Or I do the 3 cups of rice with 2 packets of the Goya con azafaron packet.  I have heard of something called bijou that can be used as well but haven't myself.   I have had this dish with peas in the rice.  I don't like peas or overly mushy veggies so I omit vegetables in this recipe altogether and serve it alongside instead.

Arroz Imperial

3 cups of long or medium grain rice, rinsed.
1 tsp of saffron threads, soaked in 1/2 cup of hot water.
3 tbsp of butter
5 1/2 cups of water
1 tsp of salt

6 pieces of boneless/skinless chicken, we use breasts you can use thighs as well.
Salt/Pepper

1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 can of tomato sauce
Tsp of each: Oregano, onion powder, garlic powder
1/2 tsp of salt/pepper

1 cup of mayo OR homemade lime garlic aioli (recipe below)
1 cup of mozzarella cheese

In a large sauce pan, add rice, saffron WITH the soaking liquid, butter, rest of water and salt.  Bring to a boil.  Once to a boil, cover and reduce to a low heat.  Cook for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile in a large pan, cover bottom of pan with olive oil and turn on heat to medium high.  Add chicken and cook on both sides till seared.  Set aside.  Turn heat to medium and saute onions till soft.  Then add peppers, saute till soft.  Add in garlic, sauce and seasonings.  Stir and cook for another 5 minutes.  Take out about 2 spoonfuls into a bowl.  Back to the pan, add back in chicken with a splash of white cooking wine and 1/2 cup of water.  Stir and cover.  Cook it over medium heat till cooked through.  About 20 minutes. When done, let it cool slightly and chop into bite sized pieces.

In the bowl with the reserved sofrito, add mayo and stir well.  Salt/pepper to taste.  Set aside.

Now finally to the assembly.  In a large casserole pan, layer half of the rice along the bottom.  Place chicken with sauce over that.  Smooth it down as best as you can.  Layer with remaining rice.  Top rice with mayo mixture and sprinkle cheese along the top.

Bake in 375* oven till golden and bubbly.  About 30 minutes.  Serve.  I have doubled the topping as the family loves it gooey so feel free to do so as well.

Homemade lime garlic aioli

1 clove of peeled garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 cup of eggbeater OR one egg yolk ( it will be raw)
Juice of half of lime
1/2 tsp of salt
1 cup of neutral tasting oil


Place garlic, eggbeater/or yolk, lime and salt in the blender.  Blend on low till mixed well.  Use a rubber spatula and scrape down sides.  Cover blender leaving off the little middle twisty thing to allow pouring of the oil.  Place blender on it's lowest setting.  Stream in oil very slowly along the top.  Mixture should be liquidy and getting paler in color.  When done with the oil, turn off blender and voila you have homemade mayo.

If you are getting it too liquidy or blender is too strong, try a food processor and again on the lowest setting.