Arroz con Pollo with Avocado-Pea Salsa

This is a one pot wonder from Food & Wine that takes only an hour. It's a good Sunday night dinner and there's leftovers for lunch and more dinners during the week. It includes both wine and beer - a really wholesome meal. I won't judge if you want to round it off with a margarita or two...you gotta cover all the bases.

Arroz con Pollo

2 tbsp olive oil
One chicken cut into pieces (or, a couple of thighs, breasts, and legs)
1 onion, minced
2 serrano chilis or jalapenos, seeded and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 plum tomatoes, cored and finely diced (or a 14oz can of crushed tomato)
1 tsp ground achiote (if you can find it)
1/2 tsp cumin
Pinch of saffron
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup light beer
2 cups rice (uncooked)

Avocado-Pea Salsa

1 cup peas
1 small red onion
1/4 cup lime juice
3 avocados finely diced
1/4 cup olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400. In a very large dutch oven, heat oil over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook in the oil skin side down first until nicely browned. Transfer to a plate.

2. Add the onion, chilis, and garlic to the pot with a little salt and pepper and cook until softened. Add the tomatoes, achiote, cumin, and saffron and cook until the tomatoes start to break down.

3. Add the wine and simmer until slightly reduced. Add stock and beer and bring to a boil. Stir in rice and bring to a boil. Nestle the chicken into the rice and bake uncovered in the lower third of the oven for 30 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and chicken cooked through.

4. While the chicken and rice are in the oven, blanch the peas in a pot of boiling water for about a minute. Drain under cold water. Mix the onion, lime juice and salt and pepper. Let stand for 10 mins and then mix in the avocados and peas.

5. Remove the chicken from the pot when done. Fluff the rice and serve with chicken and salsa on top.