stretching the chicken

One of my favorite meals in Mexico is pollo asado – grilled chicken.


At least once a week, I stop at pollo Kamilan to buy one of their char-grilled chickens and two bags of prepared rice. 


The full meal usually includes tortillas, cole slaw, and salsa.  But I simply do not need them to meet my chicken need.  The full meal costs 85 pesos.  They charge me 80 pesos for my reduced fare.


My usual preparation is to tear the chicken off of the carcass and mix it with the rice and some cooked onion.  It is a fast and tasty noon meal.  And lasts for at least three servings – or more.


This week I decided to try something a bit different.


I have used left over chicken in the past to augment my Mexican red rice recipe – a recipe I originally received from Bliss, and have subsequently modified   Instead of making my own, I decided to use Kaliman’s rice and try a short cut.

 

I sautéed carrots, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and jalapeño peppers in olive oil.  When they were almost cooked, I added some tomato sauce, and allowed the mixture to simmer.


Then I added the rice, the chicken, and some fresh oregano. 


The whole process took less than a half hour, and I had quick Mexican red rice with chicken.  (I suspect it would taste just as good without the chicken for you vegetarians out there.)


There was only one taste drawback.  I forgot that Kaliman, like most Mexican restaurants, adds a lot of butter to its rice.  And Mexican butter has a very distinct flavor.  One that cannot be masked by chili peppers.


It was good, though.  And the butter taste had disappeared from my first left over serving.  I will try it again whenever I am in a rush. 


But nothing beats Mexican red rice cooked slowly with fresh ingredients.