ropa vieja con pollo! old clothes with chicken!

Sooo... RJ is dying without red meat-laden Hispanic foods.  And then came the epiphany- substitute beef with chicken! Yes, yes, my great epiphany is chicken.  Go ahead and laugh.  When you're done laughing, check out this awesome recipe. Slow cook while you're at work, and have a gourmet meal on the table in 30 minutes for about $10. 

I'm pretty sure that ropa vieja got its name because old clothes are raggedy and torn.  It's not exactly the most appetizing name, but if you try not to translate it literally (haha try doing THAT now!) you'll be fine.  And once you've tasted this unbeef version of the dish, the word will take on a completely delicious meaning.   

old clothes with chicken!

For the slow cooker:

1/2 sweet onion, diced

1/2 green pepper, diced

32 oz vegetable or chicken stock (I use mushroom stock for EVERYTHING)

2 Bay leaves

2 long squirts of spicy brown mustard

6 chicken breasts, cleaned

Plop it all in the slow cooker.  If you are going to be around, set it to high for 4 hours.  If you are going to work, set it to medium for 8 hours.  Or if you have a super cool slow cooker, set the timer to turn it off after 4 hours (I suggest the 4 hour method for extra juiciness). 

For the stove:

1/2 sweet onion, diced

1/2 green peppers

~2 cups of marinara

splash of white wine

splash of mojo criollo

big splash of apple cider vinegar

chiffonade of culantro (cUlantro, not a typo, not cilantro, it's a totally different herb)

slow-cooked chicken

oil

salt and pepper

This would be the best time to start making some rice.  I use three cups of jasmine rice, three cups of water and a big dollop of margarine. Remember to wash your rice! Oil a deep saute pan or sauce pan at medium heat.  Add onions and sweat. uhhh sweat the onions, don't add any sweat to the mix... add peppers and cook through, about 5-7 minutes.  Pour in marinara and mix, push over to one side of the pan, as in picture.  Strain chicken, onions and peppers from the slow cooker and put in empty side of the pan.  With two forks, shred the chicken thoroughly.  Quickly mix the chicken in with the marinara mix and add mojo, vinegar, and wine.  Mix thoroughly and let cook down about 7 minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle with culantro.  Serve over rice! or wait until I post the black bean recipe and serve it with rice and black beans!