Brazilian Chicken and Rice

 

Ingredients:

• For the marinade:
  • 1 onion, peeled
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• For the galinhada:
  • 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 (approximately 4 ounces) calabresa sausages, sliced (or kielbasa or chorizo)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 large carrot, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup white long-grain rice, rinsed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley

Instructions:

1. To make the marinade, combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. To make the galinhada, place the chicken in a bowl and toss with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside.
4. Add the chicken to the pot and cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.
5. If needed, add more oil to the pot. Then, add the onion and carrot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the wine to the pot and deglaze by scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
7. Return the chicken and sausage to the pot, along with the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
8. Stir in the rice, tomatoes, bay leaves, reserved marinade, and salt and pepper. Cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the rice is cooked through.
9. Remove from the heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
10. Stir in the parsley and serve!

Tips:

• For a richer flavor, you can use chicken thighs instead of boneless, skinless breasts.
• If you don't have calabresa sausage, you can substitute kielbasa or chorizo.
• To make the galinhada ahead of time, simply cook the chicken and sausage according to the recipe, but do not add the rice. Let the chicken and sausage cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, simply reheat the chicken and sausage in a large pot, then add the rice and cook according to the recipe.
• Galinhada is traditionally served with a side of salad or vegetables. Enjoy!