Author Notes
This is the 1940s American housewife's version of Paella; adapted from recipe by Mrs. E.W. Brockman, Jr., Chapel Hill, North Carolina (recipe found on 1940s Better Homes & Gardens Cook Book supplement page); The original recipe called for a 2 to 2 1/2 lb chicken. Four pounds is standard today, so you have two options a) make this with half a chicken, b) cook all the chicken and reserve half for recipes calling for cooked chicken. (I went with "b.") —Lauren Hairston
Ingredients
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1 1/2 cups
chicken stock, lightly salted if using homemade
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a few strands of saffron
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2 tablespoons
lard
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1
chicken, jointed (see introduction)
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all-purpose flour seasoned with salt, pepper, chili powder and paprika (for dredging)
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1
onion chopped
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1
green bell pepper, diced
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1
red bell pepper, diced
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2
garlic cloves, minced
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1 cup
rice, uncooked
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1/4 teaspoon
paprika
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1 dash
chili powder
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1 teaspoon
salt
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pepper
Directions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Put the chicken stock in a small saucepan and add the saffron. Bring up to a boil then turn heat down to low and put on the lid to keep stock warm.
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Melt lard in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge chicken joints in seasoned flour and fry in lard until browned. You don't need to cook them all the way through. Remove to a plate. Sauté the onion and bell peppers in lard until softened. Turn down the heat, if necessary, to keep vegetables from burning. Add minced garlic and sauté one minute.
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Lower heat, stir in rice and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Pour in warm stock and add paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Place chicken pieces on top and move to oven. Bake between 75 and 90 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and the rice has absorbed all the liquid and browned on top.
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