One Of Martha Stewart's Favorite One-Pot Meals Is A Classic Chicken Dish

If you're pressed for time and hate washing up, try one of Martha Stewart's favorite one-pot meals. Prepared in a single Dutch oven, the cookbook author's recipe for arroz con pollo is fragrant, filling, and packed with protein.

Arroz con pollo is a 1-pot chicken and rice dish with roots in Spain and Latin America. While each region has its own spin on this hearty dish, the basic method is to pan fry cuts of spiced chicken until golden and add them to a pot of aromatics, rice, and broth before baking the dish in the oven or finishing it on the stovetop. The result? A batch of fragrant rice topped with succulent pieces of chicken boasting a golden, crispy crust.

Stewart's version of arroz con pollo follows most of these principles. However, where it differs is that the chicken isn't coated in powdered spices such as cumin, paprika, cayenne, or oregano before it's seared. Instead, Stewart simply seasons the chicken with salt and pepper and sets it aside until it's developed some color. Then, in the same pan, she sautés chopped onions, garlic, and tomatoes before splashing in some saffron-infused white wine and chicken broth. Once the rice is added, she tosses in some pimiento-stuffed olives and bay leaves before placing the chicken on top (skin side up), sealing it tightly with a snug lid and baking in the oven for 30 minutes.

As Stewart's arroz con pollo doesn't contain earthy spices, the aroma and sunshine-yellow color of the saffron shines through in the final dish. Steeping the strands of saffron in white wine while the chicken is searing helps it to release its floral scent and subtle flavor. However, if you don't want to use wine, simply substitute more chicken broth. Better yet, heat the broth up first, as sprinkling saffron in hot liquids allows it to bloom and release more of its unique character. The unique personality of Stewart's arroz con pollo comes courtesy of the pimentos stuffed inside the green olives. These tiny peppers bring a little mild sweetness to the table, while the olives lend the rice a salty hit.

The incredible thing about arroz con pollo is its flexibility. There's plenty of room to switch up the spices, add more vegetables like bell peppers, or even scatter some paprika-rich chorizo in with the onions. Plus, you can fry the chicken and sauté the aromatics in advance. When you're ready to eat, simply add the rice, chicken, and broth to the pot, and let it finish cooking in the oven. Martha Stewart's tip for a stress-free dinner party is to do as much as possible ahead of time, so arroz con pollo fits the bill for those moments when you need a homey, hands-off dish for entertaining.