The Portugal Papers

Hi everyone! We are back from Switzerland, and I’m back in my kitchen, trying out another Portuguese recipe – Arroz de Galinha, a one-pot chicken and rice dish that feeds a crowd.

So, I’m finding that many Portuguese dishes fall under the “hearty stew” category. Meats and rice or potatoes, simmered with simple vegetables and fragrant spices to make comforting dishes for your family. I’m in.

Step 1: Gather thy ingredients. I used a mix of bone-in chicken legs and thighs. This is my first time cooking with Portuguese chouriço, local smoked sausage – I found a “picante” one at the city market and it smells incredible. Long grain rice, the classic onion, garlic, and red pepper combo, some crushed tomatoes, parsley, and good paprika round out the list. Note: I haven’t found boxed chicken stock over here. Your options are to make your own, or embrace Knorr. You can see which one I chose. 🤷 Don’t forget the vinho verde! (Wine.)

Another new to me ingredient, pimenta moída, (also known as massa de pimenta) is a classic Portuguese pepper paste (say that five times fast) that’s not super spicy but adds great flavor.

Here’s some additional info from my advisor, Google:

Okay, moving on to Step 2: Season your chicken with salt, pepper, and pimenta moída. Let it sit for 20-ish minutes while you chop and measure out all your other ingredients.

Step 3: In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the chouriço for 8-10 minutes, remove it to a bowl, then brown your chicken for 3-4 minutes per side. I had to do this in a couple of batches. Remove the chicken to another plate. I’m finding the term “one pot dish” is a bit of a misnomer. I used one pot but 75 other dishes.

Step 4: The bottom of your pot will now contain a beautiful layer of smoky, chouriço-and-chicken flavored oil. Use that to sauté your onion, red pepper, and garlic. Add lots of good paprika and parsley. Deglaze the pot with the vinho verde, saving the rest to serve with dinner! Your kitchen now smells amazing.

Step 5: Add in the rice, crushed tomatoes, and chicken stock. Give everything a good stir and invite the chicken and chouriço back to the party. Bring it up to a low boil, lower the heat, put the lid on the pot, and go put your feet up for 35-40 minutes, preferably with a glass of wine in your hand, while it all simmers. Add in about a cup of frozen peas during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Turn off the heat and let everything rest for 10 minutes before you dive in!

The verdict: We both really liked this dish. It is so, deeply flavorful. The smoky chouriço, the paprika, the garlic, the wine…the rice soaks it all up for you to enjoy! The chicken gets really tender and practically falls off the bone. Note that this is not a crispy chicken skin situation, so I might remove the skin before cooking next time. It also makes a metric ton of food, so invite your friends and family, or make sure you have freezer space for leftovers. I have to say, this dish is even better the next day!

I hope you’re all having a comforting week. ❤️