Spanish Chicken and Rice

Spanish Chicken and Rice is a family favorite. I make it with whatever I happen to have around. Have fun with this recipe, play with it, see what you and your family likes.

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
1/2 lb. hot Italian sausage, crumbled or cut into cubes
2 c. instant rice
1/2 tsp. saffron (you may have to add more depending on how much rice you are preparing and how yellow you want the rice to be)
1 tbsp. cilantro, minced
3 tbs olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
~1 1/2 c. hot water
1/2 c. light beer (I generally use Goose Island 312; this may be hard to find if you are not in the Chicago area. Really any light beer will do.)
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
hot sauce, to taste
salt & pepper to taste
paprika to taste

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with the salt, pepper and paprika.
Add both the chicken and the sausage to skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, for a few minuets.You want the chicken to be nicely brown on the outside but not cooked all the way through.

Lower the heat slightly and add the onion and garlic. If you are adding a green bell pepper or anything along those lines, this is the time to do so. Cook the veggies for about 5 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent. Stir frequently to prevent the garlic from burning.

Add the water, beer, saffron, rice, and hot sauce to the skillet. Stir to combine the ingredients. Raise the heat slightly until the mixture begins to bubble. Lower the heat and let mixture simmer for 20-25 minutes. Watch the mixture during this time. You want enough liquid in there for the rice to soak up and not have the dish stick or burn but you don't want Spanish rice soup once everything is all said and done. During the last 5 minutes, add the frozen veggies and stir to combine.

Fluff the rice with a fork and top with cilantro before serving.

Enjoy with your favorite summer or Mexican beer!

Eat well my friends.