“The Valley” is what we, in Texas, call the Rio Grande Valley. It’s located on the southernmost tip of the state, bordering Mexico, and it’s where Sandy grew up. The Valley is a melting pot of American and Mexican cultures, and is known for its festivals, architecture, and cuisine. So when Sandy talks about comfort food, she thinks of dishes that are often heavily influenced by traditional Mexican flavors. Arroz con Pollo (rice with chicken) is one of her favorites. Many Spanish-speaking countries claim this dish, so there are many different ways to prepare it. This particular recipe is served up Valley style and is uniquely Texan.

　　

Ingredients

makes 6 to 8 servings

　　1 (3-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces, skin removed

　　2 teaspoons salt, plus more for chicken

　　2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more for chicken

　　3 tablespoons olive oil

　　1 cup long-grain white rice

　　1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes

　　1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

　　1 cup finely chopped onion

　　1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper

　　1 cup frozen peas

　　2 tablespoons tomato paste

　　3 garlic cloves, minced

　　3 bay leaves

　　2 teaspoons ground cumin

　　1 (32-ounce) carton chicken broth (see page 200), or as needed

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

　　

Step 2

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan set over high heat, and add 4 pieces of the chicken. Fry the chicken until browned, about 5 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel–lined plate and set aside. In small batches, continue to fry the remaining pieces of chicken.

　　

Step 3

Add the rice to the oil remaining in the pan and fry over medium-high heat until it is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, onion, bell pepper, peas, tomato paste, garlic, bay leaves, cumin, 2 teaspoons of salt, 2 teaspoons of black pepper, and 2 1/2 cups of the broth. Bring to a boil, then transfer to a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.

　　

Step 4

Add the chicken to the casserole dish, nestling the white meat into the rice to prevent it from overcooking, and place the dark meat on top of the rice. Cover the dish with foil and bake until the rice is tender and the chicken is no longer pink, 40 to 50 minutes. If needed, add more chicken broth, 1 cup at a time, to the dish during baking to keep the chicken and rice moist.

　　From The Casserole Queens Cookbook by Crystal Cook & Sandy Pollock. Copyright © 2011 by Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock; Food photographs copyright © 2011 by Ben Fink. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers.Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock, the Casserole Queens, have been delivering casseroles in Austin, Texas, since 2006; they also teach cooking classes at Whole Foods stores in the area. They have been featured on Food Network's Throwdown! with Bobby Flay and Bobby Flay Radio on Sirius XM, as well as on television news and radio talk shows.