Another Use For Leftover Chicken!

During our COVID-19 pandemic lockdown many of us have turned to food as a source of comfort during these difficult times.  Mindy and I are both experiencing work cutbacks ... the northern New Hampshire weather has been disagreeable (even for May) and we are beginning to feel the effects of "cabin fever!"  So, as I have been doing quite often lately, I decided to cook something entirely different for supper.

I also like the challenge of turning leftover items into something that looks and tastes like it was never a leftover.

While I was in the middle of cooking, Mindy came into the kitchen with her phone to her ear, in deep conversation with my mother-in-law.  "Mom," she said, "I wish you could smell this through the phone!  This is going to be deeeeeelicious!"  It was.

This is so different I don't think you will find a recipe anywhere but here.  Introducing Pollo Latino de Brad (Brad's Latin-style Chicken.)

Ingredients:

• 3 Pre-cooked boneless chicken breasts
• Light Olive Oil or other mild vegetable oil.  (Don't use EVOO!)
• 1 medium yellow onion, slivered
• diced sweet peppers (I prepare a mixture of green, yellow, and red peppers)
• 1 pkg Vigo Yellow Rice (Arroz Amarillo)
• Badia Sazon Completa
• Goya (or Badia) Adobo seasoning
• 1 can Goya Gandules Verdes (Pigeon Peas)
• Lime juice
• Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper

Prepare Vigo Yellow Rice according to package directions.  It takes about 20 minutes to cook.  Empty the can of gandules into a small saucepan along with liquid and warm gently.  Do not boil the gandules!

In a 10" skillet heat about 3 Tbsp oil and add onions and peppers.  

 Saute over medium heat until vegetables start to carmelize.

Keep the veg moving around in the skillet.  We want flavor and color to develop, without burning!  Add a little more oil if needed.

For the chicken, I used three leftover lemon pepper breasts that I cooked on the grill for Mindy's Mother's Day dinner.  Any cooked, skinned, and deboned chicken meat can be used, however.

I sliced the chicken into medallions.  If using leg or thigh meat, simply cut into bite-sized pieces.

Add chicken to skillet mixture.  Reduce heat to medium and arrange chicken so the medallions are touching the surface of the skillet.  Allow them to gently brown, turning as needed.

Season to taste with Sazon, Adobo,  and pepper.  I used about 2 Tbsp Sazon, 1 Tbsp Adobo, 1 tsp pepper.

Sazon has become one of my go-to seasonings over the years.  It is a blend of salt, cumin, and other seasonings that define the flavor of Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Cuban cuisine.  Adobo is another latino seasoning, consisting of salt, garlic, pepper, and ground oregano.  Be careful of the salt content and season lightly at first.  You can always add more later!

Now that your kitchen is filled with the aroma of Latino soul food ... the rice is about ready and the gandules are warmed thoroughly ... add the ingredient that makes the flavor explode:

Lime Juice!  (About 1/8 cup)  Deglaze the pan and loosen all the sticky bits of flavor from the bottom!  Turn the heat down a little, and allow the sauce to reduce.  Taste!  If the lime flavor is a bit too strong for your taste, add a couple tablespoons of water.  Or, if you prefer, a little more lime juice!

Add additional seasoning to taste.  If the sazon is strong enough but the dish needs salt, simply add a little kosher salt.

Serve over rice with a side of gandules.  ¡Provecho!  (Bon Appetit!)