Arroz con Pollo Stuffed Peppers with Melted Cheese

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Halve the peppers lengthwise through the stalk, remove the seeds and white ribs, brush inside and out with 30% of the oil, sprinkle with 20% of the salt and set them cut side up in a baking dish.

   Add in this stepLarge bell peppers (red or yellow) 2Vegetable oil ¼ tbspSalt ¼ tsp

   oven

2. Cut the chicken into 1.5 cm cubes and finely chop the onion, garlic and carrot. Heat the rest of the oil in a 20 cm pan over medium-high heat and cook the chicken for 5 min, until lightly browned.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil ¾ tbspBoneless chicken thighs 200 g

   medium-high heat

3. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, cumin, achiote and tomato paste and stir for 3 min, until the vegetables soften and the paste loses its raw smell.

   Add in this stepOnion ½Garlic cloves 2Carrot ½Ground cumin ½ tspAchiote (annatto) powder ½ tspTomato paste 2 tsp

4. Add the unwashed rice, the stock and the remaining salt. Bring to the boil over high heat, cover, turn down to low heat and cook for 15 min, until the rice is almost tender and the liquid has gone (it finishes in the oven). Meanwhile, put the peppers in the oven for 10 min to soften slightly.

   Add in this stepLong-grain rice 100 gChicken stock 240 mlSalt ¾ tsp

   high heat→low heat

5. Stir the peas and half the coriander into the rice, pile it generously into the pre-baked peppers in the 20×15 cm dish and cover with plenty of mozzarella.

   Add in this stepFrozen peas 60 gChopped coriander (cilantro) 1 tbspGrated mozzarella 80 g

6. Return to the oven for 15 min, until the cheese is bubbling and golden in spots. Scatter with the rest of the coriander. The peppers are very hot, so let them cool for 2–3 minutes before eating.

   Add in this stepChopped coriander (cilantro) 1 tbsp

   oven