The first time I tried this dish was when I lived in Miami and was invited to a birthday party by a friend from Cuba.

When I first saw it, I figured it was the typical Arroz con pollo – [chicken and rice] dish found in most Latin birthday parties.

Boy, was I wrong.

Is anything BUT, the typical chicken and yellow rice.

I would call it a dress-up version of chicken and yellow rice with a couple of twists: Mayonnaise is added to the cooked rice, and the chicken is cooked in a sofrito/tomato base stew giving it a rich flavor, then its layered like a lasagna, and topped with mozzarella or any other mild white cheese.

Living in Miami, I never had the need to make it at home, since about 80% of the Cuban restaurants would have it as a catering/menu choice, and all I had to do, was place the order and pick it up.

I had not had this dish in over ten years.

Until the “all in one dish” theme came along to our Gutsy Cook menu choices this week. And I remembered it and, of course, went searching for it. I originally chose two different versions of the recipe. One made by “Three Guys from Miami”* who have published two cookbooks of Cuban/Latin cuisine, which I own and have yet to make a recipe that has not come out delicious. The second recipe reminded me of the original version that I had during my friend’s birthday party, and since I could not decide on either of them, I placed them both and let the Gutsy Cook creativity kick in.

I took a bit from both.

The dish was a total hit. And I can see it becoming a dish that we will create for special occasions around these parts.

Here are a couple of tips:

I know the option of adding mayonnaise to the rice can be a bit off-putting, but don’t skip the step. The mayonnaise helps keep the rice moist during the baking time, and the final dish will not taste like a salad—trust me.

Use good mozzarella or any other melty cheese; it makes a difference. I actually used some Parmesan/Pecorino combo to give it a bit of a kick in addition to topping it with smoked mozzarella – plus, you can never go wrong by adding more cheese to something.

I dare you to prove me wrong on that.

I use chicken thighs since it tends to be less dry than the breast when cooked. And if you want to take shortcuts, you can always buy a roast chicken, shred it, and use chicken stock instead of making your own.

Make it a day ahead, but don’t do the final cooking in the oven. Like anything that has bold flavors, it takes a bit of time to develop them. Patience, in this case, will bring huge rewards since the dish will taste even better the next day.

I like my cheese a bit burned. If you are like me, after 20 minutes of baking time, switch your oven to the broiler function and let that cheese burn a bit—about 2-3 minutes tops. Don’t walk away during this, especially if your broiler is hard-core (like mine), or you will have a burned mess on your hands.

Burned cheese is not a good thing.

And lastly, don’t let this recipe fool you with all the ingredients; it can be done in 60 minutes if you take shortcuts.

This goes great with a couple of “Platanos Fritos” (fried plantains). Around our house, we found that Goya has them frozen, and they are the best. thing. ever - no oil mess to clean up afterward!

Don’t forget to check out the other Gutsy Cooks and see their take in the “All in one dish” line up.

Next week theme is “Let’s make it Sweet” and boy are there some choices in there that I’m really looking forward to making.

Imperial Rice -- Arroz Imperial

Prep time: 35 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Total time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Yield: 8-10 servings

INGREDIENTS:

(Chicken Mixture)

3 pounds chicken thighs, skin on
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups white onion, finely chopped
2 cups green pepper cored, seeded and chopped
3 green onions, trimmed and chopped
1 teaspoon oregano
5 large cloves garlic, minced
3 ounces tomato sauce
1 tablespoon dry wine
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1 medium lime (juice only)
salt and pepper to taste

Boil Chicken & cook stew:

If you choose to cook the chicken yourself… you can boil it and then shred it.

Sure, you can use store-bought rotisserie chicken, but when you see how fast and easy it is to make shredded chicken at home, you won’t want to.

Another benefit of cooking it yourself is that you can control the ingredients.

While there are a variety of different methods to cook chicken for shredding or dicing, poaching (gently cooking the chicken in water) is the one I’ve found to be the quickest and easiest, with the smallest amount of cleanup.

STEP ONE: Place chicken thighs in the bottom of a large pot, then season them.

Essential Seasoning. I opt for a generous pinch of salt and pepper. If you like, you can add other seasonings, such as a bay leaf, poultry seasoning, or a few springs of fresh herbs.

STEP 2: Cover the Chicken with Water

YES, water (not broth!). If you like, you can use chicken broth or vegetable broth, though I find that with this cooking method, you don’t need it. Unless you have some that you need to use up, save yourself an ingredient and make this shredded chicken without broth.

STEP 3: Place the Pot on the Stove and Bring Water to a Gentle Boil.

Once the liquid is boiling, reduce the heat and let the chicken thighs simmer for 8 to 16 minutes, depending on the size and number of chicken breasts or thighs that you are poaching.

As long as you check the chicken and remove it once it reaches the magic temperature, your chicken will be perfect every single time.

STEP 4: Check for doneness.

Chicken is done when the center reaches 165 degrees F (use an instant-read meat thermometer for guaranteed safety and accuracy—I love this one and use it regularly).

Check your chicken often towards the end. If your chicken is dry or tough, it is because it is overcooked.

For the juiciest chicken. Remove the chicken a few degrees early. Place it on a plate, cover it, and let it rest for five more minutes. The carry-over cooking will finish the job.

Shred the chicken and put it aside

NEXT UP - CHICKEN STEW

In a dutch oven or saucepan, Add a tiny bit of olive oil and heat. Add onion, green pepper, green onions, and oregano. Sauté until the onions are translucent.

Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute, stirring occasionally. Add tomato sauce, shreeded chicken, and wine. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low; and simmer, uncovered, for approximately 15 minutes to thicken the sauce.

Add peas and lime juice during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Salt and pepper to taste. TASTE IT! Set aside.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

MAKE THE YELLOW RICE

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion chopped
1 small green bell pepper chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 can sliced pimentos 4 oz, drained (plus more for garnish, optional)
1 can tomato sauce 8 oz
2 cups uncooked Riceland Long Grain Rice washed and drained
3 cups water (you can use the water from the chicken if you want here)
1 chicken bouillon cube
Pinch of Bijol, annatto, or turmeric powder to color the rice
1 bay leaf

In a Dutch oven or saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, green pepper, and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes.

Add sliced pimentos and tomato sauce. Sauté for 1 minute. Add rice, water, bouillon cube, Bijol and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE LID. The steam is what cooks the rice. After 15 minutes, remove from heat. Keep the lid on for another 5 minutes—fluff with a fork and set aside.

ASSEMBLE THE DISH

7 tablespoons real mayonnaise
2/3 cup (approximately) grated Parmesan cheese (for a sharper taste, use half Parmesan, half Romano)
1 ½ cups Monterey Jack, Cheddar or Gouda (any melty cheese will work), grated

Add the mayonnaise a little at a time to the cooked rice, mixing thoroughly. Take a third of the rice and cover the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan.

Layer the chicken stew mixture on top of the rice, and then add a layer of the mayonnaise/rice mixture.

Generously sprinkle Parmesan cheese (or your choice of cheeses) on top of this layer. Add the remaining rice. Again, sprinkle Parmesan cheese on the top layer.

Spread grated Monterey Jack or another mild white cheese completely over the top.

Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese melts completely and bubbles, browning slightly.

Serves 8 to 10