Arroz con Pollo

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 lbs. chicken; cut into smaller chunks
• 2 1/2 cups short grained white rice
• 5 tsp. salt
• 3 Tbsp Olive oil
• 1 oz. bacon; cooked and cubed
• 2 oz. cooking ham; cubed
• 1/3 cup onion; thinly diced
• 1 medium Cubanelle pepper; chopped
• 3 sweet pepper; chopped
• 1 medium tomato; chopped
• 1 Tbsp. Capers; sliced
• 8 green olives; seeded
• 3 medium garlic cloves; crushed
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tsp. fresh oregano or ¼ tsp. dried oregano
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 4 oz. jar of sweet red peppers (pimientos morrones); sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1. Stir-fry the bacon and ham in the olive oil using a medium pot over medium low heat for 5 minutes.
2. Add onion, Cubanelle pepper, and sweet peppers and stir-fry for another 5 minutes.
3. Add tomato, capers, olives, tomato sauce, oregano and salt. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
4. Add chicken, cover, and cook at low heat for 10 minutes. Halfway through (at the 5 minute mark) turn chicken, cover and allow continuing cooking (approximately 5 more minutes).
5. Rinse rice under running water until water runs clear. Rinse once more.
6. Add 2 ½ cups of water to pot and add rice. Bring to a boil.
7. Lower to medium heat. Cook uncovered until the Surface of the rice no longer has any foam.
8. Stir the rice from the bottom up. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes.
9. Stir rice thoroughly, cover, and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Once done, use a fork to fluff the rice and separate the grains prior to serving.
10. After serving decorate the rice by placing strips of Pimientos Morrones over it.