Ingredients:

  • 3.3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
  • 2 tbsp Ají Amarillo paste
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
  • 2 cups fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
  • 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
  • 0.5 cup dark beer (Porter or Stout)
  • 2.5 cups chicken stock
  • 1 large red onion, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup frozen peas and diced carrots
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced into long strips
  • 3 jalapeños, seeded
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 clove garlic (for sauce)
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro (for sauce)

Instructions:

  1. Season the chicken pieces thoroughly with Ají Amarillo paste, cumin, sea salt, and black pepper. Let marinate for at least 20 minutes.
  2. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear chicken skin-side down until mahogany brown and crispy (about 5-7 minutes per side). Remove chicken and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
  3. In a blender, combine 2 cups cilantro, spinach, and a splash of stock until completely smooth and vibrant green.
  4. In the same Dutch oven, sauté the red onion and 4 cloves of minced garlic in the chicken fat until translucent.
  5. Deglaze the pot. Pour in the dark beer and scrape the bottom of the pan until all the brown bits (fond) are incorporated.
  6. Add the rinsed rice to the pot and toast for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly to coat every grain in oil.
  7. Pour in the green cilantro blend and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then nestle the chicken pieces back into the rice.
  8. Reduce heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 25 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
  9. Gently fold in the frozen peas, carrots, and red pepper strips. Cover and let steam for an additional 10 minutes.
  10. Prepare the Ají Verde sauce by blending jalapeños, mayonnaise, 1 clove garlic, lime juice, and 0.25 cup cilantro until smooth. Serve alongside the rice and chicken.