Arroz Caldoso is a Spanish dish featuring soupy brothy rice. It can feature different types of meat or seafood, but in this case chicken thighs are braised in the flavorful liquid until they practically fall apart. This extremely comforting dish falls somewhere between a soup and a stew.
1 ⅓cups(250 grams) bomba or Calasparra rice or another short or medium-grain Spanish rice
1pinchsaffron threads
Instructions
Remove the skin from the chicken and season with salt.
In a Dutch oven or another heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken flesh-side down and cook until lightly browned, about 7 to 9 minutes.
Flip over the chicken pieces, then add the onions and peppers and cook for another 3 minutes or so until the onions and peppers start to sweat down and soften.
Add the grated tomatoes, stir to coat, and continue to cook another 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in the wine and simmer for 10 minutes.
Cover with water and season generously with salt. Raise the heat to bring to a boil, then lower the heat, and gently simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes, until the chicken is fork tender and the liquid has reduced a bit.
Meanwhile prepare a picada by adding the almond meal or almonds, parsley, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of the simmering liquid to a small food processor and blending until smooth.
Taste the simmering liquid and add more salt if needed. To the simmering pot, sprinkle in the rice and the saffron, crushing it between your fingers, and stir in the picada. Cook uncovered until the rice grains are nearly tender but still have a definite al dente bite to them, 14 to 16 minutes, depending on the rice.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit covered for 3 to 4 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Ladle into bowls and serve immediately. The rice will continue to absorb the liquid the longer it sits.
Notes
This soupy rice is best the day it is made. The rice will soak up the broth the longer is sits and become less soupy (though it will still be delicious).
To shake things up a bit, in autumn, add a handful of mushrooms, or in the spring add some trimmed artichokes or fresh shucked peas or fava beans.