Ingredients
2lb. of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
8 cloves of garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
8oz. tomato sauce
1/2 cup of dry white cooking wine
1/2 tbsp. of Sazon completa
1 tbsp. of vegetable oil
2 packs of Sazon con achiote
1 lb. of jamon Serrano
3 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 lb. of chopped deli ham
1 cup of mayonnaise
6 cups of long grain rice, washed
6 cups of water
Salt to taste
Instructions
Boil your chicken until cooked through. Set aside and let cool. Once cooled, shred your chicken.
Make your sofrito by adding your bell pepper, onion and garlic to a casuela. Cook over medium heat for 5-7 min. until your onions are translucent. Now add your tomato sauce, cooking wine, shredded chicken and stir. Add sazon completa and salt to taste, make sure its very well seasoned. Drop the heat to low and let this simmer for 8-10min.
Start cooking your rice by adding the 6 cups of rice, 6 cups of water, 3 tbsp. vegetable oil and 2 packs of Sazon con achiote to a casuela. Taste the water of the rice and make sure it has the right amount of salt. Bring the rice the rice to a boil, then immediately drop the heat to low, cover and let cook 18-25 min. until your rice is cooked through.
Add your ham to pan to lightly sear. Once the rice is cooked you can begin layering your arroz imperial in a large casserole dish.
Lay out your ingredients: Rice, mayonnaise, chicken, cheese.
Now lets assemble it.. Make sure that after each each layer you use a spatula to press the layer down and make it even.The bottom layer is goin to be rice, then mayonnaise then chicken. Now add a layer of cheese then another layer of rice. After the rice comes mayonnaise and over the mayonnaise is a layer of ham. Now the final layer of rice then VERY generously cover with cheese. Place in the oven at 350°F. covered with aluminum for 10 minutes. Then uncover and bake for another 10 minutes then finally broil for 2-3 minutes. until your cheese is nice and golden brown.
