Cookbook | Ingredients | Recipes

Asopao (Puerto Rico)

Here an excellent dish from the 407 restaurant in Jerusalem, Israel. I'm told it was adapted from a Caribbean cookbook. Here is my best attempt at recreating it at home.

• 2 to 3 chicken breasts sliced into strips
• 3 cloves garlic, fine minced
• 1 medium green pepper, cored and chopped
• 1 med onion, peeled and chopped
• 800g can chopped tomatoes
• 1 c. uncooked long-grain white rice
• 3 c. chicken broth
• ¼ c. all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• ½ tsp. dried oregano
• ¼ tsp hot pepper
• 2 - 3 tbsp. oil or margarine
• lemon juice, white wine, parsley

1. In a wide, shallow bowl combine flour, salt, black pepper, hot pepper, oregano and garlic. Roll chicken pieces in flour mixture.
2. In a large kettle, melt margarine over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 3 to 5 or until brown. Remove from kettle and set aside. Add a bit of white wine or grappa to deglace and pour drippings over chicken
3. Add green pepper and onion to kettle and sauté until onion is transparent.
4. Add rice, tomatoes, broth, and a dash of lemon juice. Stir. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook over low heat for 12 minutes.
5. Return chicken to kettle. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken is tender. Add a bit more oregano and some chopped parsley.

Preparation time: 15 minutes Total time: 35