ARROZ con POLLO (CHICKEN with RICE)

6 chicken thighs( about 6 oz. each)

1 tablespoon chili powder

about 1 tablespoon oil

1 onion, peeled and chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 fresh jalapeno chiles, rinsed, stemmed and thinly sliced

1 -1/2 cups long-grain white rice

2 cups chicken broth

1 can (14 oz.) tomatoes

1 - 3/4 cups frozen corn kennels

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

salt to taste

Remove skin from chicken. Trim off and discard excess fat. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Rub chili powder all over pieces.

Set a 12 - inch frying pan with 2 - inch tall sides or a 5 to 6 quart pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add oil and tilt pan to coat bottom. Add chicken in a single layer and turn as needed to brown on both sides, 10 to 12 minutes total, ( if necessary, brown in two batches, adding 1 more tablespoon oil if needed). Transfer to a plate.

Add onion, garlic and jalapeno chiles to pan; stir often until onion is limp, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add rice; stir often until rice is opaque, about 3 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes (including juices) and corn. Bring to a boil over high heat.

Lay chicken pieces slightly apart in pan. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until rice is tender to bite and chicken is longer pink at the bone (cut to test), 25 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and salt to taste.

YIELDS: Makes 4 servings