Flatiron NoMad Foodie: Cómodo’s Achiote Marinated Chicken with Arroz Verde

The Latin American-inspired restaurant Cómodo shares with us their Achiote Marinated Chicken with Arroz Verde recipe. Executive Chef Felipe Donnelly walks us through how to make this delicious, comfort dish great for a weeknight dinner or to serve at your next gathering.

Located at 23 Lexington Avenue within The Freehand New York Hotel, Cómodo is led by husband and wife duo, Executive Chef Felipe Donnelly and Wine Director Tamy Rofe. The menus highlight specific places from Chef Donnelly’s childhood such as, Brazil, Mexico and Spain, offering a fusion of flavors.

Enjoy weekday lunch from 11 am – 4 pm, weekday happy hour from 4 – 6 pm, dinner served daily from 5 – 11 pm, and weekend brunch from 10 am – 4 pm.

Achiote Marinated Chicken with Arroz Verde Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 Half a chicken with skin (breast and thigh separated)
• 1 Bag of Calasparra rice (only about 8 ounces will be used)
• 1 Quart of Chicken Broth
• 4 ounces of White Wine
• 4 ounces of Butter
• 4 ounces of Pecorino Cheese

Marinade

• 4 ounces of Achiote Paste
• 1 Half of White Onion
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• 4 ounces of White Wine
• 1 tablespoon of Salt

Green Paste

• 2 Poblano Peppers
• 1 Bunch of Scallions
• 1 Bunch of Cilantro
• 1 Bunch of Parsley

Directions for the Marinade:

1.  Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until you have a paste.
2. Rub onto chicken thoroughly. Best if marinated for at least 2 hours.

Directions for the Green Paste:

1. Blanch and shock the cilantro and parsley by bringing a pot of water with a bit of salt to boil.
2. Quickly add the parsley and the cilantro, for about 30 seconds, then quickly remove and place into an ice bath (a bowl full of ice
water).
3. Slice up the poblano peppers and remove the veins and seeds. Slice the scallions up as well.
4. Place everything in a blender (try to squeeze out as much water as possible from the cilantro and parsley) and blend. You’ll end up with a smooth paste.

Directions for Cooking:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Start with the rice. In a pot place the portion of rice and cover with water, add salt and begin to heat at medium high heat. As water begins to simmer, make sure to constantly stir the rice and water. This will start to slowly release some of the starch in the rice, you want this as it will begin to thicken the broth.
3. As the water is reduced, slowly add broth to the pot. At this point, the rice should be at the midpoint of cooking, about 8 minutes in.
4. Start getting the chicken ready as the rice continues to cook.
5. In a hot oven-safe pan, add a bit of oil and place the chicken breast and thighs skin down on the pan. The skin should get nice and crunchy, so cook it for about 5 to 6 minutes and then flip it over. Once flipped over, place your pan in the oven. Let the chicken cook for about 10 minutes.
6. Now, the rice should almost be ready. Add in the green paste. Incorporate it well into the rice, add a bit more broth and continue to stir.  Add about 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter as well as the pecorino cheese. Stir until it’s all incorporated. Add a final splash of broth, stir, and the rice should be ready. Remove from heat and place it on the side for a moment.
7. Take the chicken out of the oven and remove chicken from the pan and place it on a plate. The pan should be full of little bits and pieces of the chicken/marinade – this is good since it is the base of the sauce.
8. Put the pan on the stove and turn the stove up to high. As the pan begins to simmer again, add the white wine.
9. Let the wine reduce for 2 minutes and add another 2 tablespoons of butter. The butter here reacts with the acid in the wine and the fat from the chicken and helps thicken the sauce. Turn off the heat once the sauce is thickened.
10. Plate the rice, then place the chicken on top of the rice and pour the beautiful pan sauce on top of the chicken. Voila!

Enjoy!

All Photography Credit: Cómodo