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Drunken chicken with Mexican white rice

Serves 8

Difficulty Easy

Prep Time 25 minutes, plus 15 minutes’ soaking time

Cooking Time 1 hour

For the drunken chicken:

For the Mexican white rice:

Purée the tomatoes, then heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the chicken, puréed tomatoes, garlic and parsley and cook over a medium heat, turning the chicken occasionally, for 10–15 minutes.
Add the chorizo and ham and cook for a further 5 minutes. Pour in the sherry and cook for few more minutes, until the sherry has mostly evaporated. Add the sugar, cloves, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, raisins and almonds, and season if necessary.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the cooking liquid has thickened. Check the seasoning. Spoon the sauce over each serving and serve with Mexican white rice.
To make the Mexican white rice, place the rice into a heatproof bowl, cover with hot water and soak for 15 minutes. Drain well.
Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the rice and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes until it starts to change colour. Drain off the oil and return the pan to the heat.
Add the onion, garlic, parsley or coriander, if using, lemon juice, salt and 4½ cups water and bring to a boil over a medium heat. Reduce the heat, cover, and boil for 20 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat. Discard the onion and parsley and fluff up the grains with a fork before serving.

Cook's note: Such a different cooking method and so easy. The chorizo adds punch, offset by the unexpected sweetness of the nuts and raisins.

Recipe published courtesy of Mexico: The Cookbook by Margarita Carrillo Arronte (Phaidon, 2014).

Drunken chicken with Mexican white rice