Mexican-Style Roasted Chicken with Brown Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
Roast Chicken and Pan Gravy:
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 2 tbsp canned chipotle in adobo sauce, puréed
- 2 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 whole chicken or capon (4 to 6 lb)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 cups sodium-reduced chicken broth
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
Brown Rice Pilaf:
- 2 cups Carolina® Brown Rice
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 3 1/2 cups sodium-reduced chicken broth
- 2 plum tomatoes, diced
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Instructions
Impress your family and friends with this delicious Mexican-style Arroz con Pollo, or whole roast chicken, with gravy served alongside a flavorful Carolina® Brown Rice pilaf.
Follow our step by step instructions to make a delicious meal for the holidays or a celebratory meal to share!
Roast Chicken and Pan Gravy
Step 1
Preheat oven to 425ºF. Stir together butter, chipotle, rosemary, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, onion powder and ground cloves.
Step 2
Pat chicken dry with paper towel. Rub spice mixture all over the chicken and inside the cavity. Add onion and bay leaves to cavity. Tie legs together with kitchen string; tuck wing tips underneath chicken. Place chicken, breast side up, in roasting pan fitted with rack.
Step 3
Roast for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours or until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of inner thigh registers 165°F.
Step 4
Remove kitchen string and bay leaves. Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Tent loosely with foil; let stand for 15 minutes.
Step 5
Meanwhile, heat pan drippings in roasting pan set over medium heat on stovetop. Stir in broth and tomato paste, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pan; bring to boil. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened. Strain before serving.
Brown Rice Pilaf
Step 6
Cook bacon in a large saucepan set over medium heat until crisp around edges and fat starts to render. Stir in beef; cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until starting to brown.
Step 7
Add onion, celery, carrot, jalapeño, garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper to saucepan; cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until slightly softened. Stir in broth, tomatoes and raisins; bring to boil.
Step 8
Stir in rice; reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 35 to 40 minutes or until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork before serving.
Step 9
Slice chicken; sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with rice pilaf and pan gravy.
Cooking Tip
Roast 2 smaller fryer chickens, if desired, adjusting the cooking time as needed.
Seasoning
The key to making this roast chicken Mexican-style lies in the seasoning. We’ve used a blend of butter, chipotle in adobo, rosemary, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, onion powder and ground cloves for flavors that pack a punch. It’s important to make sure that the chicken is dried with a paper towel so that the butter will adhere and as a result, the seasonings will roast with the meat.
Oven Note: Not every oven will cook the same, so make sure to roast the chicken until the inside temperature reaches 165°F.
Side Dish Ideas
If you’re planning a meal for a crowd such as Thanksgiving or a holiday get-together, you may need to feed a crowd and will need a few side dishes to go with your brown rice pilaf and roast chicken.
A few side dish options may include: a Green Bean Rice Casserole or for a touch of color, Green Rice with Roasted Vegetables or Green Poblano Rice.
Make sure to finish off your meal with an incredible and elegant dessert like a Mexican Rice Pudding.
